
Class :ELS.a^ 



Book.^_EI_Sl5. 



\ 



^iA 



THE J::^^ - 



SCRIPTUEE SCHOOL READER; 



CONSISTING OF 



SELECTIONS OF SACRED SCRIPTURES 



THE USE OF SCHOOLS 

V 
C O M P I ]^k D i-'N D ARRANGED BY , 

WrW? EVERTS, A. M., 

AUTHOR OF " BIBLE MANUAL" AND " PASTOr's,JIA|«I 






-t'T^ 



AND <^x • 1 972^^^ 

WM. H. WYCKOFF, A.'^Q:- 

LATE PRINCIPAL OF THE COLLEGIATE BCHOOLT 



T-T 



Train up a child in the way he should go : and when he'^is oM, he will 
not depart from it. — Proverbs. 



NEW YORK: 
NAFIS & CORNISH, 278 PEARL STREET. 

ST. LOUIS : NAFIS, CORNISH & CO. 

1847. 







'S// 



:. ^* 



?.^ft« 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by 

W. W. EVERTS, A. M., AND W. H. WYCKOFF, A. M., 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of 
New York. 



Reed & Cunningham, Printers 



STEREOTYPED BY VINCENT DILL, JR. 
NO. 17 ANN 8REET, N. Y. 



CONTENTS. 




PART I. 




DIDACTIC. 




Page 




Page 


God Omnipotent, ... 7 


2 They that mourn blessed, 


48 


Omnipresent, . 


11 


3 The meek blessed. 


50 


Omniscient, 


9 


4 The hungering blessed, 


52 


Eternal, .... 


12 


5 The merciful blessed, . 


53 


Beneficent, 


13 


6 Pure in heart blessed, . 


- 55 


-Holy, . 


15 


7 Peace-makers blessed. 


56 


Worship due to God, (Lord's 




8 Those persecuted for righte- 




Prayer,) . 


16 


ousness' sake, . 


58 


Our Father, .... 


16 


9 The reviled blessed, . 


60 


Name to be hallowed. 


17 


Beneficence inculcated, . 


61 


His teign contemplated, . 


18 


Temperance do. 


63 


Providential care acknowledgec 


I, 19 


Industry do. 


65 


Forgiveness implored, 


20 


Duties of masters and servants 


66 


Temptation deprecated, . 


21 


Duties to magistrates, 


68 


Sovereignty acknowledged, 


23 


Charity in judging, &c. . 


70 


Decalosrue, 


24 


Supreme regard to God, &c. 


71 


to ' 

First Commandment, 


25 

26 


True standard of virtue, . 
Manner of religious duties, 


72 
73 


Third " 
Fourth " 


<4D 

28 
29 


Parable of the sower, 
« tares, 


74 
. 76 


Fifth 

Sixth « 

Seventh " . , 

Eighth " 


32 
33 
34 
35 


" ten virgins, . 

" talents, 

" prodigal son, 

" rich man and La- 


77 
. 77 
. 79 


Ninth " 
Tenth " 


37 

39 
41 
42 


zarus, 
" good shepherd. 


80 

81 


First great commandment, 
Second do. do. 


Gracious invitations. 

Expostulation, 

Promises to the righteous. 


83 

. 84 

86 


Beatitudes, 


46 


Threatenings against the wick 




1 Poor in spirit blessed, . ' . 46 


ed, . ., 


" 88 



IV 



CONTENTS. 



PART II. 

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 



Page 

Life of Samuel, . . .190 

" David, . . 194 

" Elijah, . . . .203 

" Elisha, . . .209 

Sketch of the Life of Hezekiah, 216 

" " Manasseh, 219 

220 

222 

226 

248 

263 

265 

267 



Creation of the World, 


. 94 


The Fall, 


. 96 


The Death of Abel, 


. 98 


The Deluge, . 


. 99 


The waters assuaged, 


. 101 


Covenant with Noah, 


. 103 


Confusion of Languages, 


. 105 


Life of Abraham, . 


. 105 


" Jacob, 


. 119 


" Joseph, 


. 138 


Sketch of the Life of Job 


. 158 


Life of Moses, 


. 162 


Sketch of the Life of Josl 


ma, . 182 


« " Gid 


eon, . 186 



" *' Josiah, 

Life of John the Baptist, . 

" Jesus Christ, 
Sketch of the Life of Peter, 
Martyrdom of Stephen, . 
Sketch of Philip, . 
Life of Paul, . 



PART III. 

POETICAL. 



Page 
Habakkuk, . . . .301 

Isaiah, 302 

Jeremiah, . . . . 307 

Ezekiel, 310 

Hosea, ..... 311 

Amos, 313 

Micab, 314 



Nahum, . 
Solomon, 
Job, 



Deborah, 
David, . 



Page 
315 
316 
321 
331 
332 
334 



PREFACE 



The Bible is the book for the world. Every part 
of it has its uses, and not the shortest passage could be 
omitted without diminishing its perfect adaptation to all 
the purposes for which it was designed. 

But the WHOLE of it is not equally appropriate for 
EACH bf these purposes, and therefore when, only one 
or several of these are contemplated, selections suita- 
ble to them may with propriety be made from the 
Sacred Volume. 

On this principle has the Scripture School Reader 
been prepared. For the use of Schools it claims the 
following advantages. 

First. As from the limited time allowed to the read- 
ing of Scriptures, selections must be made, and from 
inexperience, or little attention of teachers, extempore 
selections cannot always be most judicious, there is a 
manifest advantage in having them mapped out before 
hand, with reference to their comparative adaptation. 

Second. All the matter of this compilation, in the 
judgment of the most fastidious, will be found suitable 
for promiscuous reading, and comprises all those striking 
moral lessons, especially adapted to the education of 
youth. 



VI PREFACE. 



Third. By bringing together passages relating to the 
same subject, it enhances the relative beauty of each, and 
combines the varied language and imagery of the Scrip- 
tures, to illustrate with incomparable clearness and effect, 
their ow^n doctrines and laws. 

Fourth. By collecting detached narratives of the 
lives of Scripture characters, and presenting them dives- 
ted of extraneous matter, in succinct biographies, it invests 
them with a new and surprising interest, and renders 
their moral impression more distinct and permanent. 

Fifth. By restoring the poetry of the Scriptures to 
its proper metrical form, it clothes it with new beauty 
and force. 

Sixth. By restoring the whole matter to its original, 
and more natural arrangement in paragraphs, like other 
reading books, and presenting it in handsome type and 
page, it facilitates the observance of punctuation, and all 
the habits of correct reading. 

Note. — In the preparation of this Volume, the Editors 
have been much assisted by the "Bible Manual," whfbh in 
addition to an accurate and full classification of texts, fur- 
nishing a complete index to all the teachings of the 
Scriptures ; and a compilation and arrangement of the 
devotional language of the Bible, constituting a Scriptural 
directory to prayer ; embraces also copious doctrinal and 
didactic selections, and numerous selections, for special 
and ordinary occasions of worship ; in the comprehen- 
siveness of its plan, and the fullness of its matter, minis- 
tering more variously and extensively to the usefulness 
of the Scriptures than any single Volume before the 
public. 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



PART FIRST. 
DIDACTIC. 

DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 

GOD OMNIPOTENT. 

In the beginning God created the heaven, and the 
earth. And God said, Let there be Hght : and there 
was Hght. And God said. Let there be a firmanent in 
the midst of the waters : and let it divide the waters 
from the waters. And God said. Let the waters under 
the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let 
the dry land appear : and it was so. And God said, 
Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, 
and the fruit tree, yielding fruit after his kind. And 
God said. Let the waters bring forth abundantly the 
moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly 
above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 
• Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called. 
Mine hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and 
my right hand hath spanned the heavens : when I call 
unto them, they stand up together. By the word of 
the Lord were the heavens made : and all the host of 
them, by the breath of his mouth. He stretcheth out 
the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth 
upon nothing. He gathereth the waters of the sea 
together, as a heap : he layeth up the depth in store- 
houses. Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the 



Gen. 1: 1-20. Isaiah 48: 12, 13. Psalm 33: 6. Job 26: 7. Psalm 33: 7-9 



8 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



inhabitants of the world stand m awe of him. For he 
spake and it was done : he commanded, and it stood fast. 

I am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God 
besides me : I form the light, and create darkness : I 
make peace, and create evil. There is none that can 
deliver out of my hand : I will work, and who shall let it. 

O Lord, my God, thou art very great : thou art 
clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself 
with light, as with a garment : who stretchest out the 
heavens like a curtain. Who layeth the beams of his 
chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his 
chariot : who walketh upon the wings of the wind. 
Who maketh his angels spirits : his ministers a flaming 
fire. Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it 
should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it 
with the deep as with a garment : the waters stood 
above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled : at the 
voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 

Canst thou by searching, find out God ? canst thou 
find out the Almighty unto perfection ? It is as high as 
heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what 
canst thou know ? Behold he taketh away, who can 
hinder him ? who will say unto him, What doest thou ? 
I am the Almighty God ; walk before me and be thou 
perfect. 

We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which 
art, and wast, and art to come, because thou hast taken 
to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. I am Alpha,* 
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the 
Lord, which is and which was, and which is to come, 
the Almighty. And I heard as it were the-voice of a 
great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and 
as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying. Alleluia : for 
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 



Isaiah 45 : 6-7. Isaiah 43: 13. Psalm 104 : 1-7. Jobll:7, 8. Job 9 : 12. Gen. 17 : 1. 
Rev. 11 : 17. Rev. 1 : 8. Rev. 19 : 6. 



DIDACTIC. 



GOD OMNISCIENT. 

Known unto God are all his works from the begin- 
ning of the world. Neither is there any creature that 
is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked, 
and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear ? he that 
formed the eye, shall he not see ? he that teacheth man 
knowledge, shall he not know ? 

The Lord looketh from heaven, he beholdeth all the 
sons of men. From the place of his habitation, he look- 
eth upon all^the inhabitants of the earth. His eyes 
behold, his eyelids try the children of men. He knoweth 
the secrets of the heart. For the Lord searcheth all 
hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the 
thoughts. 

The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding 
the evil and the good. The v^ays of man are before 
the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. 
He seeth wickedness also ; for his eyes are upon the 
ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. There is no 
darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of 
iniquity may hide themselves. Though they dig into 
hell, thence shall mine hand take them ; though they 
climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down : and 
though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will 
search and take them out thence ; and though they be 
hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I 
command the serpent, and he shall bite them. And though 
they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will 
I command the sword, and it shall slay them : and I will 
set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good. 

O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 
Thou knowest my down sitting, and mine uprising : 



Acts 15 : 18. Heb. 4 : 13. Ps. 94 : 9, 10. Ps. 33 : 13, 14. Ps. 11 : 4. Ps. 44 : 21. 
1 Chro. 28 : 9. Prov. 15 : 3. Prov. 5 : 21. Job 11 : 11. Job 34 : 21, 22. Amos 9 : 2-4. 
Ps. 139 : 1-12. 



10 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou com- 
passest my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted 
with all my ways. For there is not a word in my 
tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 
Thou hast beset me behind, and before, and laid thine 
hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for 
me ; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. If I say, surely 
the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be 
light about me. Yea, the darkness hi^eth not from thee, 
but the night shineth as the day : the darkness and the 
light are both alike to thee. 

the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and 
knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judg- 
ments, and his ways past finding out ! For who hath 
known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his 
counsellor ? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall 
be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and 
through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory 
for ever. Amen. 

1 would seek unto God, and unto God would I com- 
mit my cause : which doeth great things and unsearchable : 
marvellous things without number. He disappointeth 
the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot per- 
form their enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own 
craftiness : and the counsel of the fro ward is carried 
headlong. 

If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our 
heart, and knoweth all things : declaring the end from 
the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are 
not yet done. Hast thou not known ? hast thou not 
heard,* that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of 
the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? 
there is no searching of his understanding. 



Rom. 11 : 33-36. Job 6 : 8-13. IJohn 3 : 20. Isaiali 46 : 10. Isaiah 40 : 2S. 



DIDACTIC. 11 



GOD OMNIPRESENT. 

Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and 
the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers ; that stretch- 
eth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out 
as a tent to dwell in. Lift up your eyes on high, and 
behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out 
theif host by number : he calleth them all by names by 
the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in 
power ; not one faileth. When he uttereth his voice, 
there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he 
causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth ; 
he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the 
wind out of his treasures. For, lo, he that formeth the 
mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto 
man what is his thought, that maketh the morning dark- 
ness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The 
Lord, The God of hosts, is his name. 

Dost thou know when God disposed them and caused 
the light of his cloud to shine ? Dost thou know the 
balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him 
which is perfect in knowledge ? Hast thou with him 
spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten 
looking-glass ? Teach us what we shall say unto him ; 
for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. 

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea ? or hast 
thou walked in the search of the depth ? Have the gates 
of death been opened unto thee ? or hast thou seen the 
doors of the shadow of death ? Hast thou perceived the 
breadth of the earth ? Declare if thou knowest it all. 
Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for 
darkness, where is the place thereof? 

Hell and destruction are before the Lord : how much 
more then the hearts of the children of men. Whither 



Job 37 : 14. Isa. 47 : 22-26. Jer. 10 : 13. Amos 4 : 13. Job 37 : 15-19. Job 38 : 16-19. 
Prov. 16 : 11. Ps. 139 : 7-10. 



12 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



shall I go from thy spirit ? or whither shall I fly from 
thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art 
there ; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. 
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the 
uttermost parts of the sea : even there shall thy hand 
lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. The eyes 
of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and 
the good. 

Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God 
afar off? Can any .hide himself in secret places that I 
shall not see him, saith the Lord ? Do not I fill heaven 
and earth, saith the Lord ? Behold, the heaven and 
heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. 



GODETERNAL. 

God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am. And he said. 
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel : I Am 
hath sent me unto you. The Lord God of your fathers, 
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of 
Jacob, hath sent me unto you : this is my name for ever, 
and this is my memorial unto all generations. I ap- 
peared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by 
the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah, 
was I not known to them. I lift up my hand to heaven, 
and say, I live for ever. 

Thou O Lord, shalt endure for ever: of old hast thou 
laid the foundation of the earth : and the heavens are the 
work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt 
endure, yea all of them shall wax old like a garment : as 
a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be 
changed. But thou art the same, and thy y^ars shall 
have no end. 

Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever : and thy me- 



Prov. 16 : 3. Jer. 23 : 23, 24. 1 Kings 8 : 27. Exod. 3 : 14, 15. Exod. 6 : 3. 
Deut. 32 : 40. Ps. 102 : 12-27. Ps. 135 : 13. 



DIDACTIC. - 13 



morial, O Lord, throughout all generations. Before the 
mountains were brought forth, or even thchi hadst formed 
the earth and the world : even from everlasting to ever- 
lasting thou art God. For a thousand years in thy sight, 
are but as yesterday when it is past : and as a watch in 
the night. 

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, 
saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is 
to come, the Almighty. 



GOD BENEFICENT. 



Moses said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And 
he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, 
and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee. 
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, 
The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long 
suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping 
mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression, 
and sin. 

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 

Thou makest the outgoings of tlie morning and even- 
ing to rejoice. Thou visitest the earth and waterest it : 
thou makest it soft with showers, thou blessest the 
springing thereof Thou crownest the year with thy 
goodness. The Lord is good to all ; and his tender 
mercies are over all* his works. 

The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up 
all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait 
upon thee : and thou givest them their meat in due 
season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the 
desire of every living thing. That thou givest them, 
they gather : thou openest thine hand they are filled 
with good. 



P3. 90 : 2,4. Rev. 1 : 8. Exod. 33 : 18, 19. Exod. 34 : 6, 7. Ps. 33 : 6. Ps. 65 : 8-11. 
Ps. 145 : 9-16. Ps. 104 : 28. 



14 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with bene- 
fits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. How 
excellent is thy loving kindness, O God ! therefore the 
children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy 
wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fat- 
ness of thy house : and thou shalt make them drink of 
the river of thy pleasures. O continue thy loving kind- 
ness unto them that know thee ; and thy righteousness 
to the upright in heart. O how great is thy goodness, 
which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee : which 
thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the 
sons of men. 

Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merci- 
ful, slow to anger and of great kindness. Bless the Lord 
O my soul : and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 
Bless the Lord, O my soul : and forget not all his bene- 
fits : who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender 
mercies. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities. He hath 
not dealt with us after our sins : nor rewarded us ac- 
cording to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high 
above the earth : so great is his mercy toward them that 
fear him. As far as the east is from the west : so far 
hath he removed our transgressions from us. The 
mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting 
upon them that fear him. Like as a father pitieth his 
children : so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. To 
the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses. 
Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord. 

God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while 
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. For God so 
loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son : 
that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but 
have everlasting life. Herein is love, not that we loved 
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the 
propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, 
we ought also to love one another. Beloved, let us love 



Ps. 65 : 19. Ps. 36 : 7-10. Ps. 31 : 19. Neh. 9 : 17. Ps. 103 : 1-17. Dan. 9 : 9. 
Ps. 119 : 166. Rom. 5 : 8. John 3 : 16. 1 John 4 : 7-11. 



DIDACTIC. 15 



one another ; for love is of God. He that loveth not, 
knoweth not God : for God is love. 



GOD HOLY. 

The Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, 
a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, vv^hich regardeth 
not persons nor taketh reward. Far be it from God, 
that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty, 
that he should commit iniquity : for thou art not a God 
that hath pleasure in wickedness : neither shall evil 
dwell with thee. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest 
wickedness. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold 
evil, and canst not look on iniquity. 

Just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints. The 
Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his 
works. Behold he put no trust in his servants ; and his 
angels he charged with folly : yea, the heavens are not 
clean in his sight. God sitteth upon the throne of his 
holiness. Holy and reverend is his name. 

Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of 
Israel ! Who is like unto thee, O Lord, amongst the 
gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in 
praises, doing wonders ! Who shall not fear thee, O 
Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou only art holy : for 
all nations shall come and worship before thee. The 
Lord is our defence ; and the Holy One of Israel is our 
king. I will praise thee with the psaltery, even thy 
truth, O my God : unto thee will I sing with the harp, 
O thou Holy One of Israel. 

And one cried unto another, and said. Holy, holy, 
holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his 
glory. 



Deut. 10 : 17. Job 34 : 10. Ps. 5 : 4. Ps. 45 : 7. Hab. 1 : 13. Rev. 15 : 3. Ps. 145 : 17. 
Job 4 : IS. Job 15 : 15. Ps. 47 : 8. Ps. Ill : 9. Exod. 15 : 11. Rev. 15 : 4. Ps. 99 : 18. 
Ps. 71 : 22. Isaiah 6 : 3. 



16 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

Our Father which art in heaven ; hallowed by thy 
name. 

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it 
is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation ; but deliver us from 
evil : for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the 
glory, for ever. Amen. 



GOD OUR FATHER. 

To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are 
all things, and we by him. In him we live, and move, 
and have our being ; we are also his offspring. 

Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be 
ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not, thou O 
Lord art our Father. Blessed be thou. Lord God of 
Israel, our father, for ever and ever. 

A FATHER of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, 
is God in his holy habitation. He hath looked down 
from the height of his sanctuary : from heaven did the 
Lord behold the earth : to hear the groaning of the 
prisoner : to loose those that are appointed to death. 
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust: and lifteth the 
needy out of the dunghill. The Lord upholdeth all that 
fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The 
Lord is good to all : and his tender mercies are over all 
his works. Like as a father pitieth his children : so the 
Lord pitieth them that fear him. It is he that hath made 
us, and not we ourselves : we are his people, and the 
sheep of his pasture. 



Matt. 6 : 9-13. 1 Cor. 8 : 6. Acts 17 : 28. Isaiah 63 : 16. 1 Chro. 29 : 10. Ps. 63 : 6. 
Ps. 102 : 19, 20. Ps. 113 : 7. Ps. 145 : 14-9. Ps. 103 : 13. Ps. 100 : 3. 



DIDACTIC. 17 



A son honour eth his father, if then I be a father 
where is my honour ? 

As many as are led by the spirit of God,^ they are the 
sons of God. Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, 
whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Now unto God and our Father, be glory for ever and 
ever. Amen. 



HIS NAME HALLOWED. 

The Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of 
lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible. Who is 
like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods ? who is like 
unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing 
wonders ! Thou, even thou art Lord alone, thou hast 
made the heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their 
host, the earth, and all things that are therein, and thou 
preservest them all, and the host of heaven worshippeth 
thee. Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises 
of Israel ! 

God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. Holy and 
reverend is his name. I saw the Lord sitting upon a 
throne high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, 
is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. 

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy 
name ? for thou only art holy : all nations shall come and 
worship before thee. 

If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, 
to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts : I 
will even send a curse upon you, and will curse your 
blessings. Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the peo- 
ple : give unto the Lord glory and strength. Remem- 
ber that thou magnify his work, which men behold. 



Mai. 1 : 6. Rom. 8 : 14, 15. Phil. 4 : 20. Deut. 10 : 17. Exod. 15 : 11. Neh. 9 : 6. 
Ps. 22 : 3. Ps. 47 : 8. Ps. Ill : 9. Isaiah 6 : 1-3. Rev. 15 : 4. Mai. 2 : 2. 1 Chro. 16 : 28. 
Job 36 : 24. 



18 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the 
saints : and to be had in reverence of all them that are 
about him. O come, let us worship and bow down : let 
us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our 
God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep 
of his hand. 

Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy 
honour all the day. Hallowed be thy name. 



HIS REIGN CONTEMPLATED. 

The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the 
Lord is our king. The Lord shall reign for ever, even 
thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. All the ends of 
the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord : and 
all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 

In the last days it shall come to pass, that the moun- 
tain of the house of- the Lord shall be established in the 
top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the 
hills, and people shall flow unto it. And many nations 
shall come, and say ; Come, and let us go up to the 
mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of 
Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will 
walk in his paths : for the law shall go forth of Zion, and 
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And the king- 
dom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom 
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of 
the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an ever- 
lasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey 
him. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge 
of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. 

Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and 
righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work 
of righteousness shall be peace ; and the effect of right- 
eousness, quietness, and assurance for ever. Violence 



Ps. 89 : 7. Ps. 95 : 6, 7. Ps.71 : 8. Matt. 6 : 9. Isaiah 33 : 22. Ps. 146 : 10. Ps. 22 : 27, 
Micah 4 : 1,2. Dan. 7 : 27. Hab. 2 : 14. Isaiah 32 : 16, 17. Isaiah 60 : 18-21. 



DIPACTIC. 19 



shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruc- 
tion within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy walks 
salvation, and thy gates praise. The sun shall be no 
more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the 
moon give light unto thee : but the Lord shall be unto 
thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. For 
from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of 
the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles, 
and in every place, incense shall be offered unto my 
name, and a pure .offering : for my name shall be great 
among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. 



PROVIDENTIAL CARE ACKNOWLEDGED. 

Thou art good, and doest good. Thou makest the 
outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. Thou 
visitest the earth and waterest it : thou makest it soft 
with showers, thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou 
crownest the year with thy goodness : and thy paths 
drop fatness. They drop upon the p^tures of the wil- 
derness : and the little hills rejoice on every side. The 
pastures are clothed with flocks : the valleys are covered 
over with corn. 

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. The 
Lord is good to all : and his tender mercies are over all 
his works. He causeth grass to grow for the cattle, and 
herb for the service of man : that he may bring forth 
food out of the earth : and wine that maketh glad the 
heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine : and 
bread which strengtheneth man's heart. 

The young lions roar after their prey : and seek their 
meat froai God. That thou givest them, they gather : 
thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. O 
Lord thou preserveth man and beast. The eyes of all 
wait upon thee : and thou givest them their meat in due 

Mai. 1 : U. Ps. 119 : 68. Ps. 65 : S-13. Ps. 33 : 5. Ps. 145 : 9. Ps. 104 ; 14-28. 
Ps. 36 : 6. Ps. 145 : 15, 16. 



20 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfies! the 
desire of every hving thing. 

If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who 
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not : and it 
shall be given him. 

My prayer is unto thee ; O Lord, in an acceptable 
time: O God in the multitude of thy mercy hear me. 
According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot 
out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine 
iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 

Blessed be God which hath not turned away my 
prayer, nor his mercy from me. Blessed be the Lord, 
who daily loadeth us with his benefits, even the God of 
our salvation. 



FORGIVENESS IMPLORED. 



O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the 
covenant, and mercy to them that love him, and to them 
that keep his commandments : we have sinned, and have 
committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have 
rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from 
thy judgments. There is none that doeth good, no not 
one. 

Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, 
and do, and give to every man according to his ways, 
whose heart thou knowest : (for thou, even thou only, 
knowest the hearts of the children of men.) Thou Lord 
art good, and ready to forgive : and plenteous in mercy 
unto all that call upon thee. 

Have mercy upon me, O Lord, according to thy 
loving kindness : according to the multitude of thy ten- 
der mercies, blot out my transgressions. Remember, O 
Lord, thy tender naercies, and thy loving kindnesses : for 
they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of 



James 1 : 5. Ps. 69 : 13. Ps. 51 : 1. Ps. 66 : 20. Ps. 68 : 19. Dan. 9 : 4, 5. Rom. 3 : 12. 
1 Kings 8 : 39. Ps. 86 : 5. Ps. 51 : 1. Ps. 25 : 6, 7. 



DIDACTIC. 21 



my youth, nor my transgressions : according to thy 
mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, O 
Lord. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, 
whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom 
the Lord imputeth not iniquity : who forgiveth all thine 
iniquities. 

If ye forgive men their trespasses, your .heavenly 
Father will, also forgive you. But, if ye forgive not men 
their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your 
trespasses. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven. 

When ye stand, praying, forgive, if ye have aught 
against any any : that your Father also which is in 
heaven, may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do 
not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven, 
forgive your trespasses. 

Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving 
one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven 
you. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a 
Prince and a Saviour : for to give repentance to Israel, 
and forgiveness of sins. In whom we have redemption 
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to 
the riches of his grace. 



TEMPTATION DEPRECATED. 

The Lord said unto Satan, Behold,, he (Job) is in thine 
hand, but save his life. So went Satan forth from the 
presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils 
from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took 
him a potsherd to scrape himself withal : and he sat 
down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, 
Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and 
die. But he said unto her, shall we receive good at the 
hand of God, and shall we not receive .evil ? In all this 
did not Job sin with his lips. 



Ps. 3-2 : 1,2. Ps. 103 : 3. Matt. 6 : 14, 15. Luke 6 : 37. Mark 11 : 25, 26. Eph. 4 : 32. 
Acts 5 : 31. Eph. 1:7. Job 2 : 6-10. 



22 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilder- 
ness, to be tempted of the devil. And when the tempter 
came to him, he said, if thou be the Son of God, conrt- 
mand that these stones be made bread. But he 
answered and said. It is written, man shall not live by 
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out-of 
the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into 
the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle t)f the tem- 
ple, and saith unto him. If thou be the Son of God, cast 
thyself down : for it is written. He shall give his angels 
charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall 
bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against 
a stone. Jesus saith unto him, It is written again, Thou 
shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil 
taketh him into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth 
him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of 
them : and saith unto him, all these things will I give 
thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith 
Jesus unto him. Get thee hence, Satan : for it is written, 
thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt 
thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, 
angels came and ministered unto him. 

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of 
God : for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither 
tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when 
he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then 
when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin : and sin, 
when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

If sinners entice thee consent thou not. Watch and 
pray, that ye enter not into temptation. God is faithful, 
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you 
are able : but will with the temptation also make a way 
to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. For we have 
not a high priest which cannot be touched with the 
feeling of our infirmities : but was in all points tempted 
like as we are, yet without sin. For in that he himself 



Matt. 4 : 1-11. James 1 : 13-15. Prov. 1 : 10. Matt. 26 : 41. 1 Cor. 10 : 13. Heb. 4 : 15. 
Heb. 2 : 18. v 



DIDACTIC. 23 



hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them 
that are tempted. 

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation : for when 
he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the 
Lord hath promised to them that love him. 



UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY ACKNOWLEDGED. 

The kingdom is the Lord's : and he is the governor 
among the nations. The Lord most high is a great 
King over all the earth. And all the inhabitants of the 
earth are reputed as nothing : and he doeth according 
to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabi- 
tants of the earth : and none can stay his hand, or say 
unto him, What doest thou ? 

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all 
the earth ! who hast set thy glory above the heavens : 
the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and 
Lord of lords : who only hath immortality, dwelling in 
the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no 
man hath seen, nor can see. Thine, O Lord, is the 
greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, 
and the majesty : for all that is in the heaven and in the 
earth, is thine : thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou 
art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour 
come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine 
hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make 
great, and to give strength unto all. Thou art worthy, 
O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for 
thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they 
are, and Were created. 

Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. 
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for 
ever and ever. 

O come, let us worship and bow down : let us kneel 



James 1 : 12. Ps. 22 : 28. Ps. 47 : 2. Dan. 4 : 35, 34. Ps. 8:1. 1 Tim. 6 : 15, Iff. 
1 Chro. 29 : 11, 12. Rev. 4 : 11. Ps. 115 : 1. Matt. 6 : 13. Ps. 95 : 6-7. 



24 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



before the Lord our Maker ; whose dominion is an ever- 
lasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to 
generation. 



DECALOGUE. 

Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or 
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that 
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the 
earth : thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor 
serve them : for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, 
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto 
the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; 
and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love 
me, and keep my commandments. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in 
vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh 
his name in vain. 

. Remember the sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days 
shalt "thou labour, and do all thy work : but the seventh 
day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt 
not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, 
thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, 
nor thy stranger that is within thy gates : for in six 
days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all 
that in them is, and rested the seventh day : wherefore 
the Lord blessed the sabbath-day, and hallowed it. ^ 

Honour thy father and thy mother ; that thy days 
may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God 
giveth thee. 

Thou shalt not kill. 

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

Thou shalt not steal. 



Dan. 4 : 34. Exod. 20 : 3-17. 



DIDACTIC. 25 



Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt 
not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor 
his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing 
that is thy neighbour's. 



FIRST COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, amongst the gods ? 
who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, 
doing wonders ! Of old hast thou laid the foundation of 
the earth : and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure, yea all of them 
shall wax old like a garment : as a vesture shalt thou 
change them, and they shall be changed. 

Thou art worthy O Lord, to receive glory, and 
honour, and power : for thou hast created all things, and 
for thy pleasure they are, and were created. 

The gods that have riot made the heavens and the 
earth, even they shall perish from under these heavens. 
But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and 
an everlasting King : the blessed and only Potentate, 
the King of kings, and Lord of lords. At his wrath the 
earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to 
abide his indignation. All the inhabitants of the earth 
are reputed as nothing : and he doeth according to his 
will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants 
of the earth : and none can stay his hand, or say unto 
him. What doest thou ? 

Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the 
faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with 
them that love him, and keep his commandments, to a 
thousand generations. Ye shall not fear other gods, nor 
bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to 



Exod. 20 : 3. Exod. 15 : 11. Ps. 102 : 25, 26. Rev. 4 : 11. Jer. 10 : 11. I Tim. 
Jer. 10 : 10. Dan. 4 : 35. Deut. 7:9. 2 Kings 17 : 35. 



26 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



them. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord 
thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and 
worship them : I testify against you this day, that ye 
shall surely perish. 

If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or 
thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, 
which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, 
Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not 
known, thou nor thy fathers : namely, of the gods of the 
people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far 
off from thee, from the one end of the earth, even unto 
the other end of the earth ; thou shalt not consent unto 
him nor hearken unto him, neither shall thine eye pity 
him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal 
him. But thou shalt surely kill him : thine hand shall be 
first upon him, to put him to death, and afterwards the 
hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with 
stones, that he die : because he hath sought to thrust thee 
away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of 
the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. And all 
Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any 
such wickedness as this is, among you. 



SECOND COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or 
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that 
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the 
earth : thou shalt not bo\y down thyself to them, nor 
serve them : for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, 
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto 
the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; 
and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, 
and keep my commandments. 

Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the 

Deut. 8 : 19. Deut. 13 : 6-11. Exod. 20 : 4-6. Deut. 12 : 2, 3. 



DIDACTIC. 27 



nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon 
the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every 
green tree. And ye shall overthrow their altars, and 
break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire ; and 
ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and 
destroy the names of them out of that place. 

Their land is full of idols : they worship the work of 
their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. 
And the mean man boweth down, and the great man 
humbleth himself. 

O house of Israel, ye have borne the tabernacle of 
your Moloch and Chiun your images, the stars of your 
god, which ye made to yourselves ; and wrath came 
upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass. A 
drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up : 
for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad 
upon their idols. And I will destroy your high places, 
and cut down your images, and cast your carcasses upon 
the carcasses of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. 
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither 
rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any 
image of stone in your land to bow down unto it : for I 
am the Lord your God. 

To whom will ye liken God ? or what likeness will ye 
compare unto him ? He that is so impoverished that he 
hath no oblation, chooseth a tree that will not rot ; he 
seeketh unto him a cunning workman, to prepare a gra- 
ven image that shall not be moved. They lavish gold 
out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire 
a goldsmith and he maketh it a god, they fall down, yea, 
they worship. They bear him upon the shoulder, they 
carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth ; 
from his place shall he not remove : yea one shall cry 
unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his 
trouble. 

What profiteth the graven image, that the maker 



Isaiah 2 : 8, 9. Amos 6 : 25, 26. 2 Cliro. 24 : IS. Jer. 50 : 38. Lev. 26 : 36. Lev. 26 : 
Isaiah 40 : 18-20. Isaiah 46 : 6, 7. Hab. 2 : 18. 



28 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



thereof hath graven it ; the molten image, and a teacher 
of hes, that the maker of his work, trusteth therein to 
make dumb idols. They have mouths, but they speak 
not : eyes have they, but they see not. They have ears 
but they hear not, noses have they, but they smell not. 
They have hands but they handle not, feet have they, 
but they walk not : neither speak they through their 
throat. They that make them are like unto them : so 
is every one that trusteth in them. Confounded be all 
they that trust in graven iaiages, that boast themselves 
of idols. Woe unto him that saith to the wood. Awake : 
to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach. 



THIRD COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in 
vain : for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh 
his name in vain. 

Ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt 
thou profane the name of thy God : I am the Lord. 

The son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an 
Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel : and 
this son of the Israehtish woman, and a man of Israel 
strove together in the camp. And the Israelitish 
woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and 
cursed, and they brought him unto Moses. And they 
put him in ward, that the mind of the Lord might be 
showed them. -And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. 
Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp, and 
let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and 
let all the congregation stone him. 

And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, say- 
ing, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And 
he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely 
be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly 



Ps. 115: 6-8. Ps. 97 : 7. Hab. 2 : 19. Exod. 20 : 7. Lev. 19 : 12. Lev, 24 : 10. 
Lev. 24: 11-16. 



DIDACTIC. 29 



stone him : as well the stranger as he that is born in the 
land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall 
be put to death. 

Because of swearing the land mourneth ; the pleasant 
places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is 
evil, and their force not right. By swearing, and lying, 
and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they 
break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall 
the land mourn. Then said he unto me, This is the curse 
that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth : for 
every one that stealeth shall be cut off: and every one 
that sweareth shall be cut off. 

T say unto you, swear not at all : neither by heaven, 
for it is God's throne : nor by the earth, for it is his foot- 
stool : neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great 
King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because 
thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let 
your communication be, yea, yea, nay, nay : for whatso- 
ever is more than these cometh of evil. 

Above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by 
heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath : 
but let your yea, be yea : and your nay, nay ; lest ye 
fall into condemnation. 



FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 

Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy. Six days 
shalt thou labour, and do all thy work : but the seventh 
is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not 
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy 
man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor 
thy stranger that is within thy gates : for in six days the 
Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in 
them is, and rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord 
blessed the sabbath-day, and hallawed it. 



Jer. 23 : 10. Hos. 4 : 2, 3. Zech. b : 3. Matt. 5 : 34-37. James 5 : 12. Exod. 20 : 8-12. 



30 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Speak unto the children of Israel, saymg, verily my 
sabbaths ye shall keep : for it is a sign between me and 
you throughout your generations ; that ye may know 
that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall 
keep the sabbath therefore : for it is holy unto you. 
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, 
to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for 
a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the 
children of Israel for ever. 

And he (Moses) said unto them, (the children of 
Israel) this is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow 
is the rest of the holy sabbath ; bake that which ye will 
bake to-day, and seethe, that ye will seethe ; and that 
which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until 
the morning. Six days ye shall gather it, but on the 
seventh day, which is the sabbath in it there shall be 
none. Abide ye every man in his place, let no man go 
out of his place on the seventh day. Ye shall kindle no 
fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath-day. 
Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death : 
for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be 
cut off from among his people. Six days thou shalt 
work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest : in earing- 
time and in harvest thou shalt rest. 

In those days, saw I in Judah, some treading wine- 
presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and 
lading asses ; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all 
manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem 
on the sabbath day : and I testified against them in the 
day wherein they sold victuals. 

There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought 
fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on the sabbath 
unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I 
contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them. 
What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sab- 
bath day ? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our 

Exod.31: 13-17. Exod. 16 : 23-29. Exod. 35 : 3. Exod. 31 : 14. Exod. 34 : 21. 
Neh. 13 : 15-13. 



DIDACTICi 31 



God bring all this evil upon us, and upon the city ? 
yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the 
sabbath. 

Thus saith the Lord, Take heed to yourselves, and 
bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by 
the gates of Jerusalem ; neither carry forth a burden 
out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye 
any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I comman- 
ded your fathers. 

It shall come to pass, if ye will diligently hearken 
unto me saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through 
the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the 
sabbath day to do no work therein ; then shall there en- 
ter into the gates of this city, kings and princes sitting 
upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on hor- 
ses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem ; and this city shall remain for 
ever. 

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from 
doing thy pleasure on my holy day ; and call the sab- 
bath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable ; and 
shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding 
thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words : then 
shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord ; and I will cause 
thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed 
thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father : for the mouth 
of the Lord hath spoken it. 

Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to 
the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, 
to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath 
from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant ; even 
them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them 
joyful in my house of prayer : their burnt offerings and 
their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar. 



Jer. 17 : 21, 22. Jer. 17 : 24, 25. Isaiah 58 : 13, 14. Isaiah 56 : 2-7. 



32 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 

Honour thy father and thy mother ; that thy days may 
be long upon the land which the Lord thy God givetli 
thee. 

God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and 
mother : and, he that curseth father or mother, let him 
die the death. But ye say, whosoever shall say to his 
father, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited 
by me ; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall 
be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God 
of none effect by your tradition. Children, obey your 
parents in the Lord : for this is right. Honour thy 
father and mother, (which is the first commandment 
with promise,) that it may be well with thee, and thou 
mayest live long on the earth. 

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise 
not thy mother when she is old. A wise son heareth his 
father's instruction : but a scorner heareth not rebuke. 
My son hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake 
not the law of thy mother : for they shall be an orna- 
ment of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. 
Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them 
about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee : 
when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee : and when thou 
awakest, it shall talk with thee. 

Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall 
be put out in darkness.^ He that smiteth his father or 
his mother, shall be surely put to death. The eye that 
mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, 
the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young 
eagles shall eat it. Cursed is he that setteth light by his 
father or his mother. 

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which 
will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his 



Exod. 20 : 12. Matt. 15 : 4-6. Eph. 6 : 1-3. Prov. 23 : 22. Prov. 13 : 1. Prov. 1 : 8, 9. 
Prov.6:21, 22. Prov. 20 : 22. Exod. 21 : 15. Prov. 39: 17. Deut. 27 : 16. Deut.21 : 18, IST. 



DIDACTIC. 33 



mother, and that when they have chastened him, will 
not hearken unto them : then shall his father and his 
mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders 
of his city, and unto the gate of his place. And all the 
men of his city shall stone him with stones that he die : 
so shalt thou put evil away from among you, and all 
Israel shall hear, and fear. 



SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt not kill. 

He that killeth any man, shall surely be put to death. 
Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be 
shed : for in the image of God made he man. Surely, 
at the hand of every man will I require the life of man. 

If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to 
slay him with guile : thou shalt take him from mine altar 
that he may die. Whoso killeth any person, the mur- 
derer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses, 
but one witness shall not testify against any person, to 
cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfac- 
tion for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death : 
but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take 
no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his 
refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, 
until the death of the priest. 

So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are : 
for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be 
cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, bat by the 
blood of him that shed it. Defile not therefore the land 
which ye shall inhabit wherein I dwell : for I the Lord, 
dwell among the children of Israel. 

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. 
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the 
evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? do 



Exod. 20:13. Lev. 24 : 17. Gen., 9 : 6. Gen. 9: 6. Exod. 21 : 12-14. Num. 35 : 30-34, 
Rom. 13 : 1-4. 



34 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



that which is good, and thou shalt .have praise of the 
same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good : 
but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid : for he bear- 
eth not the sword in vain : for he is the minister of God, 
a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 



SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

The lips of a strange woman drop as a honey comb, 
and her mouth is smoother than oil : but her end is bitter 
as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword. Remove 
thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her 
house, lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy 
years unto the cruel : lest -strangers be filled with thy 
wealth, and thy labours be in the house of a stranger, 
and thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body 
are consumed, and say. How have I hated instruction, 
and my heart despised reproof? For her house inclineth 
unto death, and her paths unto the dead : none that go 
unto her return again, neither take they hold of the 
paths of life. 

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pil- 
grims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the 
soul. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which 
are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lascivious- 
ness, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and 
such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also 
told you in time past, that they which do such things, 
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, 
Thou shalt not commit adultery. 'But I say unto you, 
that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, 
hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the 



Exod. 20: 14. Prov. 5: 3-9. Prov. 5: 10-12. Prov. 2: 18, 19. 1 Peter 2 : 11. 
Gal. 5 : 19-21. Matt. 6 : 27, 28. Col. 3 : 6, 6. 



DIDACTIC. 35 



earth : fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil 
concupiscence and covetousness, which is idolatry. 

Neither let us coinmit fornication as some of them (the 
children of Israel,) committed, and fell in one day three 
and twenty thousand. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, 
and the cities about them, in like manner giving them- 
selves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, 
are set forth §)r an example, suffering the vengence of 
eternal fire. 

Let no man deceive you with vain words : for because 
of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the chil- 
dren of disobedience. 

Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor 
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor 
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor 
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

Hearken unto me, now therefore, O ye children, and 
attend the words of my mouth : that they may keep thee 
from the strange woman, from the stranger which flat- 
tereth with her words. For at the window of my house, 
I looked through my casement, and behold among the 
simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man 
void of understanding. He goeth after her straightway 
as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the cor- 
rection of the stocks. Let not thine heart decline to her 
ways, go not astray in her paths ; for she hath cast down 
many wounded : yea many strong men have been slain 
by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to 
the chambers of death. 



EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt not steal. 

Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour neither rob him : 
ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, 



1 Cor. 10 : 8. Jude 7. Eph. 5 • 6. 1 Cor. 6 : 9, 10. Prov. 7 : 5-7. Prov. 7 : 22-27. 
Exod. 20 : 15. Lev. 19 : 13-35. 



36 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



in weight, or in measure. If thou sell aught unto thy 
neighbour, or buyest aught of thy neighbour's hand, ye 
shall not oppress one another. Thou shalt not have in 
thy bag divers weights, a great and a small : thou shalt 
not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a 
small : but thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a 
perfect and just measure shalt thou have. A false bal- 
ance is abomination to the Lord : but a just weight is his 
delight. Israel hath sinned, for they have stolen, and 
dissembled, and they have put it amongst their own stuff. 
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before 
their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies 
because they were accused : neither will I be with you 
any more, except ye destroy the accursed thing from 
amongst you. 

Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or 
as an evil doer, or as a busy body in other men's matters. 
Render therefore to all their dues, tiibute to whom tri- 
bute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, 
honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but 
to love one another. Let him that stole, steal no more : 
but rather let him labour, working with his hands, the 
thing which is good, that he may have to give to him 
that needeth. 

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and 
committing adultery, they break out and blood toucheth 
blood. Therefore shall the land mourn and every one 
that dwelleth therein shall languish. 

Know ye not that the unrighteous, nor thieves, nor 
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, 
shall inherit the kingdom of God ? 



Lev. 25 : 14. Deut. 25 : 13-15. Prov. 11 : 1. Josh. 7 : 11, 12. 1 Peter 4 : 15. Rom. 13 : 7, 
Eph.4 : 28. Hos. 4 : 2, 3. 1 Cor. 6 : 9, 10. 



DIDACTIC. 37 



NINTH COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

Be not witness against thy neighbour without cause : 
and deceive not with thy Ups. Thou shalt not go up and 
down as a tale-bearer among thy people : the words of 
a tale-bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the 
innermost parts of the belly. 

The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great 
things. The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity : so is 
the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole 
body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is 
set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of 
birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, 
and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no 
man tame ; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his 
soul from troubles. Death and life are in the power of 
the tongue : and they that love it, shall eat the fruit 
thereof 

Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and 
hypocrisies, and envies, and evil speakings, as new-born 
babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may 
grow thereby. Put them in mind to be subject to prin- 
cipalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready 
to every good work, to speak evil of no man. 

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking 
guile. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and per- 
verse lips put far from thee. He that hideth hatred with 
lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. The 
words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war 
was in his heart : his words were softer than oil, yet 
were they drawn swords. 

A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour. 



Exod. 20 : 16. Prov.24 : 28. Prov. 18 : 8. James 3 : 5-8. Prov. 21 : 23. ProV. 18 : 21. 
1 Peter 2: 1,2. Titus 3 : 1, 2. Ps. 34 : 13. Prov. 4 : 24. 'Prov. 10: IS. Ps. 65: 21. 
Prov. 25 : 18. 



38 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. They bend 
their tongue Hke their bow for hes : but they are not 
vaUant for truth upon the earth : for they proceed from 
evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord. And 
they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not 
speak the truth, they have taught their tongue to speak 
lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Their 
tongue is as an arrow shot out, it speaketh deceit : one 
speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but 
in heart he layeth his wait. 

The lip of truth shall be established for ever : but a 
lying tongue is but for a moment. Lying lips are abom- 
ination to the Lord : but they that deal truly are his 
delight. A false witness shall not be unpunished ; and 
he that speaketh lies shall not escape. Wherefore, put- 
ting away lying, speak every man truth with his neigh- 
bour. For he that will love life, and see good days, let 
him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speak- 
ing guile. 

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bri- 
dleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this 
man's religion is vain. These six things doth the Lord 
hate ; yea seven are an abomination unto him. A proud 
look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood : 
a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be 
swift in running to mischief : a false witness that speak- 
eth lies ; and him that soweth discord among brethren. 
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that 
speaketh lies shall perish. 

The fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, 
and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and 
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake 
which burneth with fire, and brimstone, which is the sec- 
ond death. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and 
whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and who- 
soever loveth and maketh a lie. 



Jer. 9 : 3. Jer. 5 : 8. Prov. 12 : 19-22. Prov. 19 : 5. Eph. 4 : 25. 1 Peter 3 : 10. 
James 1 : 26. Prov. 6 : 16-19. Prov. 19 : 9. Rev. 21 : 3. Rev. 22 : 15. 



DIDACTIC. 39 



TENTH COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt 
not covet thy neighbour's v^ife, nor his man servant, nor 
his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing 
that is thy neighb6ur's. 

Take heed and beware of covetousness : for a man's 
Hfe consisteth not in the abundance of the things v^^hich 
he possesseth. And Jesus, spake a parable unto them, 
saying. The ground of a certain rich man brought 
forth plentifully. And he thought v^ithin himself, saying. 
What shall I do, because I have no room w^here to be- 
stow my fruits? And he said, this will I do ; I will pull 
down my barns, and build greater, and there will I 
bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to 
my soul, Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many 
years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But 
God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall 
be required of thee : then whose shall those things be 
which thou hast provided ? So is he that layeth up 
treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 

He that by usury and unjust gain, increaseth his sub- 
stance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. 
As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not : 
so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave 
them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a 
fool. This is the heritage of oppressors, which they 
shall receive of the Almighty. If his children be multi- 
plied, it is for the sword : and his offspring shall not be 
satisfied. Those that remain of him shall be buried in 
death : and his widows shall not weep. Though he 
heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the 
clay ; he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on and 
the innocent shall divide the silver. 

Behold these are the ungodly : who prosper in the 



Exod. 20 : 17. Luke 12 : 15-21. Prov. 28 : 8. Jer. 17 : 11. Ps. 73 : 12-19. Prov. 3 ; 



40 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



world, they increase in riches^ surely thou didst set them 
in slippery places : thou castest them down into destruc- 
tion. How are they brought into desolation as in a 
moment — they are utterly consumed with terrors. The 
curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked : but he 
blesseth the habitation of the just. 

The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire and blesseth 
the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth. And they 
come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before 
thee as my people, and they hear thy words but they 
will not do them ; for with their mouth they show^ much 
love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. 
They covet fields and take them by violence, and houses 
and take them away : so they oppress a* man and his 
house : even a man and his heritage. 

In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood : thou hast 
taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained 
of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, 
saith the Lord God. Behold therefore, I have smitten 
mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made^ 
and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. 
Can thine heart endure, or can thine hand be strong in 
the days that I shall deal with thee ? I the Lord have 
spoken it, and will do it. Your gold and silveji' is can- 
kered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against 
you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire : ye have 
heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold the 
hire of the labourers which have reaped down your 
fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth : and 
the cries of them which have reaped, are entered into the 
ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 

Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his 
house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be 
delivered from the power of evil. The face of the Lord 
is against them that do evil ; to cut off" the remembrance 
of them from the earth. How oft is the candle of the 



Ezek. 33 : 31. Micah 2 : 2. Ezek. 22 ; 12-14. James 5 : 3, 4. Hab. 2 : 9. Ps. 34 : 16. 
Job 21 : 17-20. 



DIDACTIC. 41 



wicked put out ? and how oft cometh their destruction 
upon them ? God distributeth sorrows in his anger. 
They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that 
the storm carrieth away. God layeth up his iniquity for 
his children : he rewardeth him and he shall know it. 
His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of 
the wrath of the Almighty. 



FIRST GREAT COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is 
the first and great commandment. 

Hear O Israel : The Lord our God is one Lord. And 
what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear 
the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love 
him, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with 
all thy might. 

O love the Lord, all ye saints : for the Lord pre- 
serveth the faithful. Be ye therefore followers of God 
as dear children: and walk in love as Christ also hath 
loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and a 
sacrifice to God : as the servants of Christ doing the 
will of God from the heart. 

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, 
he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be 
loved of my father, and I will love him, and will mani- 
fest myself to him. Delight thyself also in the Lord ; 
and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart. Know 
that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which 
keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him 
and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. 

All things work together for good to them that love 
God, to them who are the called according to his pur- 
pose. O how great is thy goodness, which thou hast 

Matt. 22: 37,38. Deut. 6 : 4 Deut. 10 : 12. Deut. 6 : 5. Ps. MS : 1. Eph. 5 : 1,2. 
Eph. 6 : 6. John 14 : 21. Ps. 37 : 4. Dent. 7 : 9. Rom. 8 : 28. Ps. 31 : 19. 



42 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



laid up for them that fear thee : which thou hast wrought 
for them that trust in thee before the sons of men. Eye 
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into 
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared 
for them that love him. 

It is good for me to draw near to God, I have put my 
trust in the Lord God. The Lord is my rock, and my 
fortress, and my deliverer ; I will love thee O Lord, my 
strength. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there 
is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. 



SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT. 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the 
first and great commandment. And the second is like 
unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On 
these two commandments hang all the law and the 
prophets. 

A certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Jesus, say- 
ing, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ? 
He said unto him. What is written in the law ? how 
readest thou ? And he answering, said. Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy 
soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; 
and thy neighbour as thyself And he said unto him. 
Thou hast answered right : this do, and thou shalt live. 
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And 
who is my neighbour ? 

Jesus said, A certain man went dow^n from Jerusalem 
to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him 
of his raiment and wounded him, and departed, leaving 
him half dead. And by chance there came down a cer- 
tain priest that way : and when he saw him, he passed 
by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he 



1 Cor. 2 : 9. Ps.^3 : 28. Ps. 31 : 23. Ps. 73 : 23. Matt. 22 : 39. Matt. 7 : 12. 
Luke 10 : 25, 26. Luke 10 : 27-37. 



DIDACTIC. 43 



was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by 
on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he jour- 
neyed, came where he was ; and when he saw him, he 
had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up 
his wounds pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his 
own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of 
him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took 
out two pence and gave them to the host, and said unto 
him, Take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest 
more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which 
now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour to him 
that fell among thieves ? And he said, he that showed 
mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do 
thou likewise. 

Ye have heard that it hath been said. Thou shalt love 
thy neigbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, 
love your enemies ; bless them that curse you, do good 
to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite- 
fully use you, and persecute you. If ye do good to them 
which do good to you, what thank have you ? for sin- 
ners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of 
whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye ? for sin- 
ners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 
But love ye your enemies, and do good and lend, hoping 
for nothing again : and your reward shall be great, and 
ye shall be the children of the Highest ; for he is kind 
unto the unthankful and to the evil. Therefore all things 
whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye 
even so to them. And the Lord make you to increase 
and abound in love one toward another, and toward all 
men. 

Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither oppress 
the afflicted in the gate : for the Lord will plead their 
cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. 
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker : 
but he that honoureth him, hath mercy on the poor. 

Matt. 5 : 43, 44. Luke 6 : 33-35. Matt. 7 : 12. 1 Thes. 3 : 12. Prov. 22 : 22, 23. 
Prov. 14 : 31. 



44 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with 
them, and them which suffer adversity, as being your- 
selves also in the body. Learn to do well, seeJk judg- 
ment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, 
plead for the widow. Open thy mouth for the dumb in 
the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. 
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause 
of the poor and needy. Defend the poor and fatherless : 
do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor 
and needy : rid them out of the hand of the wicked. If 
thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, 
and those that are ready to be slain : if thou sayest. 
Behold, we knew it not : doth not he that pondereth the 
heart, consider it ? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth 
not he know it ? and shall not he render to every man 
according to his works ? 

The people of the land have used oppression, and 
exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy : 
yea, they have oppressed the stranger wonderfully. 
And I sought for a man among them, that should make 
up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the 
land, that I should not destroy it : but I found none. 

Whoso stOppeth his ear at the cry of the poor, he also 
shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Wo unto him 
that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his cham- 
bers by wrong : that useth his neighbour's service 
without wages, and giveth him not for his work. The 
robbery of the wicked shall destroy them ; because they 
refuse to do judgment. 

Wherefore, thus saith the Holy One of Israel : Because 
ye despise this word and trust in oppression and per- 
verseness, and stay thereon : therefore this iniquity shall 
be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a 
high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an 
instant. Among my people are found wicked men, they 
lay wait as he that setteth snares, they set a trap, they 



Heb. 13: 3. Isaiah 1: 17. Prov. 31: 8, 9. Ps. 82: 3, 4. Prov. 24; 11, J2. 
Ezek. 22 : 29, 30. Prov. 21 : 13. Jer. 22 : 13. Prov. 21 : 7. Is. 30 : 13, 13. Jer. 5 : 26-28. 



DIDACTIC. 45 



catch men, they judge not the cause, the cause of the 
fatherless, yet they prosper : and the right of the needy 
do they not judge. 

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent 
perverting of judgment and justice, in a province, 
marvel not at the matter : for he that is higher than the 
highest, regardeth, and there be higher than they. The 
Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people 
which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry, by reason 
of their task-masters : for I know their sorrows : the cry 
of the children of Israel is come unto me : and I have 
also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians op- 
press them. For the oppression of the poor, for the 
^ighing of the needy, now will I arise, (saith the Lord,) 
I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 
For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt 
offering. 

He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless, and 
widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and 
raiment. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the hum- 
ble : thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine 
ear to hear, to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, 
that the man of the earth may no more oppress. 

Is not this the fast that I have chosen ? to loose the 
bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to 
let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke ? 
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and 
thine health shall spring forth speedily : and thy righte- 
ousness shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall 
be thy rere-ward : and the Lord shall guide thee con- 
tinually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat 
thy bones : and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and 
like a spring of water whose waters fail not. 



Eccl. 5 : 8. Exod. 3 : 7-9. Fs. 12 : 5. Isaiah 61 : S. Deut. 10 : 18. Ps. 10 : 17, 18. 
Isaiah 68 : 6. Isaiah 58 : 8-11. 



46 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



BEATITUDES. 

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a moun- 
tain ; and when he was set, his disciples came unto him : 
and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the king- 
dom of heaven. 

Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be com- 
forted. 

Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after 
righteousness : for they shall be filled. 

Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy. 

Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God. 

Blessed are the peace-makers : for they shall be called 
the children of God. 

V Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteous- 
ness' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and perse- 
cute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you 
falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad ; 
for great is your reward in heaven : for so persecuted 
they the prophets which were before you. 



POOR IN SPIRIT BLESSED. 

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath 
created these things, that bringeth out their host by num- 
ber. It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, 
and the inhabitants thereof are as grass-hoppers ; that 
stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth 
them out as a tent to dwell in : all nations before him 
are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than 
nothing, and vanity. When I consider th}^ heavens, the 



Matt. 5 : 1-12. Isaiah 40 : 26-17. Ps. 8 : 3, 4. 



DIDACTIC. 47 



work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou 
hast ordained ; what is man, that thou art mindful of 
him ? and the son of man, that thou visitest him ? 

How can man be justified with God ? Behold, his 
angels he charged with folly : yea, the heavens are not 
clean in his sight ; how much less man that is a worm ? 
Then Job answered the Lord, and said, I have heard of 
thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth 
thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and 
ashes. 

Every one that is proud in heart, is an abomination to 
the Lord. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and 
the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. The 
Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all 
glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of 
the earth. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace 
unto the humble. 

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he 
shall lift you up. Let this mind be in you, which was 
also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, 
thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; but made 
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of 
a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And 
being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and 
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

I say to every man that is among you, not to think of 
himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think 
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the 
measure of faith. Let nothing be done through strife or 
vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem 
other better than themselves. 

Then came to Jesus, the mother of Zebedee's children 
with her sons, and saith unto him. Grant, that these my 
two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the 
other on the left in thy kingdom. And when the ten 



Job 25: 4. Job 4 : 18. Job 15 : 15. Job 25 : 6. Job 42 : 1-6. Prov. 16 : 5. 
Isaiah 2: 11. Isaiah 23 : 9. James 4: 6-10. Phil. 2 : 5-8. Rom. 12 : 3. Phil. 2 : 3. 
Matt. 20: 20-24. 



48 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



heard it, they were moved with indignation against the 
two brethren. But Jesus said, Ye know that the princes 
of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they 
that are great exercise authority upon them. But it 
shall not be so among you ; but whosoever will be great 
among you, let him be your minister ; and whosoever 
will be chief among you, let him be your servant. 

After that, he poureth water into a bason, and began 
to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the 
towel wherewith he was girded. After he had washed 
their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down 
again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done 
unto you ? Ye call m.e Master and Lord, and ye say 
well : for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master 
have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one 
another's feet. For I have given you an example, that 
ye should do, as I have done to you. 

To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and 
of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. For 
thus saith the High and lofty One that inhabiteth eter- 
nity, whose name is Holy ; I dwell in the high and holy 
place : with him also that is of a contrite and humble 
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive 
the heart of the contrite ones. Better it is to be of a 
humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil 
with the proud. Whosoever exalteth himself shall be 
abased : and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 
of heaven. 



THEY THAT MOURN BLESSED. 

Unto Adam God said. Because thou hast hearkened 
unto the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree, of 
which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of 



Matt. 20 -.25-27. John 13 : 5-15. Isaiah 66 : 2. Isaiah 57 : 15. Prov. 16 : 19. Luke 14 : 11. 
Matt. 5:3.. Gen. 3 : 17. 



DIDACTIC. 49 



it : cursed is the ground for thy sake : in sorrow shalt 
thou eat of it all the days of thy life, till thou return unto 
the ground. 

Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, 
neither doth trouble spring out of the ground : yet man 
is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward. 

God doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children 
of men. He hath not despised, nor abhorred the afflic- 
tion of the afflicted ; neither hath he hid his face from 
him, but when he cried unto him, he heard. 

The Lord looseth the prisoners, executeth judgment 
for the oppressed, giveth food to the hungry, openeth 
the eyes of the blind. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, 
and raiseth up all that be bowed down. He healeth the 
broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Sorrow 
is turned into joy before him : weeping may endure for 
a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 

No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, 
but grievous : nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the 
peaceable fruit of righteousness, unto them which are 
exercised thereby. And if they be bound in fetters, and 
be holden in chords of afflictions ; he showeth them their 
work, and their transgressions, that they have exceeded ; 
he openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth 
that they return from iniquity. 

In their affliction they will seek me early. 

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth : 
therefore despise not thou, the chastening of the 
Almighty. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are 
right : and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. It 
is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might 
learn thy statutes. Before I was afflicted I went astray ; 
but now have I kept thy word. O Lord, my strength 
and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction. 
Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles. 



Job 5: 6,7. Lam. 3 : 33. Ps. 22 : 24. Ps. 146 : 7,8. Ps. 145 : 14. Ps. 147 : 3. 
Job 41 : 22. Ps. 30 : 6. Heb. 12 : 11. Job l36 : 8-10. Hosea 6 : 15. Job 5 : 17. 
Ps. 119: 75-67. Jer. 16: 19. 



50 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from 
the depths of the earth. Though I walk in the midst of 
trouble, thou wilt revive me. For God hath comforted 
his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. 
Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be 
repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 
Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh 
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all com- 
fort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we 
may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble 
by the comfort, wherewith we ourselves are comforted 
of God. 

The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to 
Zion with songs and everlasting joys upon their heads ; 
they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sigh- 
ing shall flee away. 



THE MEEK BLESSED. 

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall 
my brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? till seven 
times ? Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee, until 
seven times : but until seventy times seven. 

Ye have heard that it hath been said. An eye for an 
eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But 1 say unto you, that 
ye resist not evil : but whosoever shall smite thee on the 
right cheek turn to him the other also. Bless them that 
curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for 
them which despitefuUy use you, and persecute you. 

Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto 
wrath, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, 
saith the Lord. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome 
evil with good. 



Ts. 71:20. Ps. 133:7. Isaiah 49 : 13. 2 Cor. 7 : 10. 2 Cor. 4 : 17. 2 Cor. 1 ; 3, 4. 
Isaiah 35 : 10. Matt. 18 : 21, 22. Matt. 6 : 38-44. Rom. 12 : 19-21. 



DIDACTIC. 51 



Behold, one of them which were with Jusus, stretched 
out his hand and drew his sword, and struck a servant 
of the high priest, and smote off his ear. Then said 
Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place : 
for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the 
sword. 

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man 
aboundeth in transgression. He that is slow to anger is 
better than the mighty : and he that ruleth his spirit, 
than he that taketh a city. 

I the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk 
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all 
lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing 
one another in love ; let all bitterness, and wrath, and 
anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from 
you, with all malice. In malice be ye children, but in 
understanding be men. Be no brawlers, but gentle, 
showing all meekness unto all men. 

If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, 
restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering 
thyself lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's 
burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

The wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then 
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy, 
and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypoc- 
risy. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, 
he is none of his. 

The meek will he guide in judgment : and the meek 
will he teach his way. The Lord lifteth up the meek : 
he casteth the wicked down to the ground. The meek 
shall eat and be satisfied ; your heart shall live for ever. 
The meek shall inherit the earth : and shall delight them- 
selves in the abundance of peace. 



Matt. 26: 61,52. Prov. 29: 22. Prov. 16: 32. Eph. 4: 1-31. 1 Cor. 14: 20. 
Titus 3 : 2. Gal. 6 : 1,2. James 3 : 17. Rom. 8 : 9. Ps. 25 : 9. Ps. 147 : 6. Ps. 22 : 26. 
Ps. 37: 11. 



52 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



THE HUNGERING SOUL BLESSED. 

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and 
night before thee. Let my prayer come before thee : 
incHne thine ear unto my cry. Thou art my God, early 
will I seek thee : my soul thirsteth for thee, my soul 
longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, w^here no 
water is. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have 
seen thee in the sanctuary. 

My soul followeth hard after thee. My soul breaketh 
for the longing, that it hath unto thy judgments at all 
times. As' the hart panteth after the water brooks, so 
panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth 
for God, for the living God : when shall I come and 
appear before God. 

Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none 
upon earth that I desire besides thee. I will delight 
myself in thy statutes : I will not forget thy word. Thy 
word is very pure : therefore thy servant loveth it. 
Consider how I love thy precepts : I rejoice at thy word, 
as one that findeth great spoil. 

How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God. O 
satisfy us early with thy mercy : that we may rejoice, 
and be glad all our days. As for me, I shall be satisfied, 
when I awake, with thy likeness. The Lord will fulfil 
the desire of them that fear him. For he satisfieth the 
longing soul : and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 

Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, 
and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea 
come, buy wine and milk without money, and without 
price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is 
not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth 
not ? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which 
is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 

Ps. 83: 1,2. Ps. 63: 1-3. Ps. 119 : 20. Ps. 42 : 1. Ps. ^3 : 25. Ps. 119: 16-162 
Ps. 139: 17. Ps. 90:14. Ps. 17 : 15. Ps. 145 : 18,19. Ps. 107 : 9. Isaiah 55 : 1,2. 



DIDACTIC. 53 



Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of hfe. He that 
eateth of this bread shall live for ever. Jesus said unto 
the woman of Samaria, if thou knewest the gift of God, 
and w^ho it is that saith to thee, give me to drink ; thou 
wouldest have asked of him and he w^ould have given 
thee living water. Whosoever drinketh of the water 
that I shall give him, shall never thirst ; but the water 
that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water 
springing up into everlasting life. In the last day, that 
great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if 
any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. I will 
give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water 
of life freely. 

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy, find- 
eth life, righteousness, and honour. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after 
righteousness : for they shall be filled. 



THE MERCIFUL BLESSED. 

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, 
which would take account of his servants. And when 
he had bugun to reckon, one was brought unto him 
which owed him ten thousand talents : but, forasmuch 
as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, 
and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and pay- 
ment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and 
worshipped him, saying. Lord, have patience with me, 
and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant 
was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave 
him the debt. 

But the same servant went out and found one of his 
fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence, and 
he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, 
Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow-servant 



John 6 : 35-5S. Jolm 4 : 10-14. John 7 : 37. Rev. 21 : 6. Prov. 21 : 21. Matt. 5 : 6. 
Matt. 18 : 23 28. Matt. 18 : 29-34. 



54 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



fell down at his feet, and besought him saying, Have 
patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would 
not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should 
pay the debt. So when his fellow-servants saw what 
was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto 
their Lord all that was done. Then his Lord after that 
he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I 
forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me ; 
shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fel- 
low-servant even as I had pity on thee ? And his Lord 
was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he 
should pay all that was due unto him. 

He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath 
showed no mercy. He that oppresseth the poor re- 
proacheth his Maker : but he that honoureth him, hath 
mercy on the poor. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry 
of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be 
heard. 

Then shall he also say unto them on his left hand. 
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepa- 
red for the devil and his angels : for I was a hungered 
and ye gave me no meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave 
me no drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me not in : 
naked, and ye clothed me not : sick, and in prison, and 
ye visited me not. Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of 
the least of these, ye did it not to me. Be ye therefore 
merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 

Is not this the fast that I have chosen ? to loose the 
bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to 
let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke ? 
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou 
bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ? when 
thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou 
hide not thyself from thine own flesh? And if thou draw 
out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul : 
then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness 



James 2 : 13. Prov. 14 : 31. Prov. 21 : 13. Matt. 25 : 41-45. Luke 6 : 36. 
Isaiah 68: 6-10. 



DIDACTIC. , 55 



be as the noon-day. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord 
shall answer : thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I 
am. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and 
satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones : and 
thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of 
water whose waters fail not. 

Blessed is he that considereth the poor ; the Lord will 
deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve 
him and keep him ahve, and he shall be blessed upon the 
earth ; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his 
enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of 
languishing : thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. He 
hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness 
endureth for ever ; his horn shall be exaked with honour. 
With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful. 

The King shall say unto them on his right hand, 
come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom pre- 
pared for you from the foundation of the world. For I 
was a hungered and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, 
and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took 
me in : naked and ye clothed me : I was sick and ye 
visited me : I was in prison and ye came unto me. Inas- 
much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these 
my brethi'en ye have done it unto me 



THE PURE IN HEART BLESSED. 

The Lord seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh on 
the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the 
heart. The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth 
all the imaginations of the thoughts : who will bring to 
light the hidden things of darkness, and will make mani- 
fest the counsels of the heart. 

If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart 
and knoweth all things : if our heart condemn us not, 



Isaiah 68 : Q-H. Ps. 41 : 1-3. Ps. 112 : 9. Ps. 18 : 25. Matt. 25 : 34-40. 1 Sam. 16 : 7. 
1 Chro. 28 : 9. I Cor. 4:6. 1 John 3 : 20-22. 



56 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever 
we ask, we receive of him. 

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear 
me. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts. 
Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right 
spirit within me. Wash me thoroughly from mine 
iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with 
hyssop, and I shall be clean ; wash me, and I shall be 
whiter than snow. 

Truly God is good to such as are of a clean heart. 
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the 
law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testi- 
monies, and that seek him with the whole heart. Who 
shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? and who shall 
stand in his holy place ? He that hath clean hands and 
a pure heart who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, 
nor sworn deceitfully: he shall receive the blessing from 
the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salva- 
tion. 

Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, 
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly 
wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our con- 
versation in the world. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 



THE PEACE MAKERS BLESSED. 

Joseph sent his brethren away, and they departed : 
and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the 
way. 

Abram went up out of Egypt, and Lot with him. 
Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 
Lot also, had flocks and herds, and tents. And there 
was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle, and 
the herdmen of Lot's cattle : and Abram said unto Lot, 



Ps. 66: IS. Ps. 61: 10-2. Ps. 73 : 1. Ps. 119 : 1,2. Ps. 24 : 3-5. 2 Cor. 1 
Matt. 5 : 3. Gen. 45 : 24. Gen. 13 : 5-9. 



DIDACTIC. 57 



Let there be no strife I pray thee, between me and thee, 
and between my herdmen and thy herdmen : for we be 
brethren. Is not the w4iole land before thee ? Separate 
thyself, I pray thee, from me : if thou wilt take the left 
hand, then I will go to the right : or if thou depart to the 
right hand, then I will go to the left. 

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peacea- 
bly with all men. Let all bitterness and wrath, and an- 
ger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from 
you, with all mahce. 

An angry man stirreth up strife. As coals are to 
burnilig coals, and wood to fire : so is a contentious 
man to kindle strife. But he that is slow to anger ap- 
peaseth strife. A soft answer turneth away wrath. 

Let us therefore follow after the things which make 
for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 
I, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk 
w^orthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all 
lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing 
one another in love ; endeavouring to keep the unity of 
the Spirit in the bond of peace ; and be ye kind one to 
another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as 
God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be at peace 
among yourselves. Follow peace with all men. 

Blessed are the peace makers : for they shall, be called 
the children of God. 

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren 
to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious oint- 
ment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even 
Aaron's beard : that went down to the skirts of his gar- 
ments. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that 
descended upon t^e mountains of Zion, for there the 
Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. 



Rom. 12 : 18. Eph. 4 : 31. Prov. 29 : 22. Prov. 26 : 21. Prov- 15 : 18, 1. Rom. 14 : 19. 
Eph. 4 : 1, 23, 32. 1 Thes. 6 : 13. Heb. 12 : 14. Matt. 5 : 9. Ps. 133 : 1-3. 



58 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



THOSE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS 
BLESSED. 

In process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought 
of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord. 
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock : 
and the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering. 
But unto Cain, and to his offering he had not respect : 
and Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 
And Cain talked with Abel his brother : and it came to 
pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up 
against Abel his brother and slew him. And wherefore 
slew he him ? because his own works were evil, and his 
brother's righteous. 

The men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before 
the Lord exceedingly. And there came two angels to 
Sodom, and said unto Lot, whatsoever thou hast in the 
city, bring them out of this place : for we will destroy 
this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before 
the face of the Lord. And God delivered just Lot, 
vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked : for 
that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and 
hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day, with 
their unlawful deeds. 

Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's 
daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the 
people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a 
season. 

Jesus commanded the twelve, saying. Behold I send 
you forth as sheep, in the midst of wolves : be ye there- 
fore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But be- 
ware of men : for they will deliver you up to the coun- 
cils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues : and 
ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake : but he 
that endureth to the end shall be saved. Remember the 



Gen. 4: 3-8. 1 John 3: 12. Gen. 13: 13. Gen. 19: 1-13. 2 Peter 2: 
Heb. 11 : 24, 25. Matt. 10 : 5-22. John 15 : 20, 21. 



DIDACTIC. 59 



word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater 
than his lord : if they have persecuted me, they will also 
persecute you. All these things will they do unto you 
for my name's sake, because they Icnow not him that sent 
me. 

The Apostles departed from the presence of the coun- 
cil, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer 
shame for his name. And others had trial of cruel 
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and 
imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawn 
asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword : they 
wandered about in sheepskins, and goatskins, being des- 
titute, afflicted, tormented ; (of whom the world was not 
worthy.) These are they which came Out of great tri- 
bulation, and have washed their robes, and made them 
white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall 
suffer persecution. 

If any man suffer as a christian, let him not be 
ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf. For 
unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to 
beheve on him, but also to suffer for his sake. If we 
suffer, we shall also reign with him. Rejoice inasmuch 
as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings ; that when his 
glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad with exceed- 
ing joy. 

Call to remembrance the former days, in which ye 
endured a great fight of afflictions ; while ye were made 
a gazing stock by reproaches and afflictions, and became 
companions of them that were so used, and took joy- 
fully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves 
that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring sub- 
stance. 



Acts 5 : 41. Heb. 11 : 36-33. Rev. 7:14. 2 Tim. 3 : 12. 1 Peter 4 : 16. Philip 1 : 29. 
2 Tim. 2 : 12. 1 Peter 4 : 13. Heb. 10 : 32-34. 



60 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



THE REVILED BLESSED. 

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth 
upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him : 
for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have 
drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow to slay 
such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall 
enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be 
broken. 

Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness, the 
people in whose heart is my law : fear ye not the re- 
proach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. 
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and 
every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment, 
thou shalt condemn. Blessed are ye when men shall 
revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner 
of evil against you, falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and 
be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven : 
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before 
you. 

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience to- 
ward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what 
glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye 
shall take it patiently ? but if, when ye do well, and suf- 
fer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with 
God. For even hereunto were ye called : because 
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that 
ye should follow his steps : who did no sin, neither was 
guile found in his mouth : who, when he was reviled, re- 
viled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not ; 
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. 

Finally, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous : not 
rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing : but con- 
trariwise, blessing : knowing that ye are thereunto called, 
that ye should inherit a blessing. For it is better, if the 



Ps. 37 : 12-15. Isaiah 51 : 7. Isaiah 54 : 17. Matt. 5 : 11, 12. 1 Peter 2 : 19-2.3. 



DIDACTIC. 61 



will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for 
evil-doing. Being reviled, we bless ; being persecuted, 
we suffer it. 



BENEFICENCE INCULCATED. 

I SAY unto you make to yourselves friends of the 
mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may 
receive you into everlasting habitations. If therefore 
ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, 
who will commit to your ti'ust the true riches ? Ye 
cannot serve God and mammon. 

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be 
not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the 
living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy, that 
they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to 
distribute, willing to communicate ; laying up in store 
for themselves a good foundation against the time to 
come that they may lay hold on eternal life. 

Let us not be weary in well doing : for in due season 
we shall reap if we faint not. As we have opportunity, 
let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who 
are of the household of faith, and remember the words 
of the Lord Jesus, how he said. It is more blessed to 
give than to receive. 

He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that 
hath none ; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 

When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not 
wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou 
gather the gleanings of thy harvests. And thou shalt 
not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every 
grape of thy vineyard, thou shalt leave them for the poor 
and stranger : I am the Lord your God. 

If thy brother be waxen poor and fallen in decay with 



Luke 16: 9-13. 2 Tim. 6 : 17-19. Gal. 6 : 9, 10. Acts 20 : 35. Luke 3 : 11. Lev. 19 : 9. 
Lev. 25 : 35. 



62 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

thee ; then shalt thou reheve him, yea, though he be a 
stranger, or a sojourner : that he may Hve with thee. 
Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be 
grieved v^^hen thou givest unto him : because for this 
thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy w^orks, 
and in all that thc/u puttest thy hand unto. 

The poor shall never cease out of the land : therefore 
I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand 
wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in 
thy land. But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth 
his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of 
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God, in 
him ? Pure reUgion and undefiled before God and the 
Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their 
affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the 
first-fruits of all thine increase : so shall thy barns be 
filled with plenty, and thy presses burst out with new 
wine. There is that scattereth and yet increaseth ; and 
there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tend- 
eth to poverty. There is that maketh himself rich, yet 
hath nothing : there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath 
great riches. 

Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, 
pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, 
shall men give into your bosom. For with the same 
measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you 
again. 

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed ; for he 
giveth of his bread to the poor. He that hath pity upon 
the poor, lendeth unto the Lord ; and that which he hath 
given will he pay him again. 

Is not this the fast that I have chosen ? Is it not to 
deal thy bread, to the hungry, and that thou bring the 
poor that are cast out to thy house ? when thou seest the 
naked that thou cover him ; and that thou hide not thy- 



Deut. 15 : 10. 1 John 3 : 17. James 1 : 27. Prov. 3 : 9, 10. Pro v. 11 : 24. Pro v. 13 : 7. 
Luke 6 : 33. Prov. 22 : 9. Prov. 19 : 17. Isaiah 68 : 6-11. 



DIDACTIC. 63 



self from thine own flesh ? And if thou draw out thine 
own soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul ; 
then shalt thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness 
be as the noon-day. - And the Lord shall guide thee con- 
tinually, and satisfy thy soul in drought and make fat thy 
bones ; and thou shalt be hke a watered garden, and like 
a spring of water whose waters fail not. 

Blessed is he that considereth the poor : the Lord will 
deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve 
him and keep him alive ; and he shall be blessed upon 
the earth : and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of 
his enemies. 

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, 
Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom pre- 
pared for you from the foundation of the world : for I 
was an hungered and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty 
and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger and ye took me 
in : naked and ye clothed me ; I was sick, and ye visited 
me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 



TEMPERANCE INCULCATED. 

Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill 
ourselves with strong drink. 

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand 
of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. They 
drank wine and praised the gods of gold, and of silver. 

They have erred through wine, and through strong 
drink are out of the way ; the priest and the prophet 
have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up 
of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink ; 
they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all 
tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no 
place clean. 

The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty. 



2. Matt. 25 : 34. Isaiah 56 : 12. Dan. 5 : 1-4. Isaiah 28 : 7, 8. Prov. 23 : 21-35. 



64 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath conten- 
tions ? who hath babbhng ? who hath wounds without 
cause ? who hath redness of eyes ? They that tarry 
long at the wine ; they that go to seek mixed wine. 
Yea, thou shalt be as he that heth down in the midst of 
the sea ; or as he that heth upon the top of a mast. 
They have stricken me shalt thou say, and I was not 
sick ; they have beaten me and I felt it not : when shall 
I awake ? I will seek it yet again. 

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging : and whoso- 
ever is deceived thereby is not wise. 

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to 
drink wine ; nor for princes strong drink ; lest they 
drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of 
any of the afflicted. 

Be not among wine bibbers ; among riotous eaters of 
flesh : look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when 
it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself 
aright. At the last, it biteth like a serpent and stingeth 
like an adder. 

Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that 
they may follow strong drink ; that continue until night, 
till wine inflame them. And the harp, and the viol, the 
tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts : but they 
regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the 
operation of his hands. 

Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men 
of strength to mingle strong drink. 

Wo to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of 
Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, whi'ch 
are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are over- 
come with wine. 

Let us walk honestly, as in the day ; not in rioting and 
drunkenness. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is 
excess. 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, drunkenness, 

Prov. 20: 21. Prov. 31 : 4,5. Prov. 23 : 20-3-2. Isaiah o : 11-22. Isaiali 2S : 1. 
Rom. 18 : 13. Epli. 6 : 18. Gal. o : 19-21. 



DIDACTIC. 65 



revellings and such like : of the which I tell you before, 
as I have also told you in time past, that they which do 
such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 



INDUSTRY INCULCATED. 

How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard ? when w^ilt 
thou arise out of thy sleep ? Yet a little sleep, a little 
slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep : so shall 
thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as 
an armed man. 

Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty : open thine 
eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. The soul 
of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing : but the soul 
of the diligent shall be made fat. For the drunkard and 
the glutton shall come to poverty ; and drowsiness shall 
clothe a man with rags. 

He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread : 
but he that followeth vain persons is void of under- 
standing. 

The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat 
little or much : but the abundance of the rich will not 
suffer him to sleep. 

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening with- 
hold not thy hand : for thou knowest not whether shall 
prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall 
be alike good. 

Let him that stole steal no more ; but rather let him 
labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, 
that he may have to give to him that needeth. 

Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to 
work with your own hands, as we commanded you ; 
that ye may walk honestly toward them that are vv^ith- 
out, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 

When we were with you, this we commanded you, 



Prov. 6:9-11. Pro v. 20 : 13. Pro v. 13 : 4. Prov. 23 : 21. Prov. 12:11. Eccl. 5 : 12. 
Eccl. 11:6. Eph. 4 : 28. #1 Thess. 4 : 11, 12. 2 Tliess. 3 : 10-14. 



66 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For 
we hear that there are some which walk among you dis- 
orderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now 
them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord 
Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their 
own bread. And if any man obey not our word by this 
epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, 
that he may be ashamed. 

Go to the ant, thou sluggard ; consider her ways, and 
be wise : which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, pro- 
videth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food 
in the harvest. 

A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will 
not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold ; 
therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. 

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard 
of the man void of understanding ; and, lo, it was all 
grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the 
face thereof, and the stone-wall thereof was broken 
down. Then I saw, and considered it well ; I looked 
upon it, and received instruction. 

By much slothfulness the building decayeth ; and 
through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. 

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep ; and an idle 
soul shall suffer hunger. 



DUTIES OF MASTERS AND SERVANTS 
INCULCATED. 

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters 
according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sin- 
gleness of your heart, as unto Christ ; not with eye- 
service, as men-pleasers ; but as the servants of Christ, 
doing the will of God from the heart ; with good will 



Frov. 6 : 6-8. Prov. 19 : 24. Prov. 20 : 4. Prov. 24 : 30-32. Eccl. 10 : 18. Prov, 19 : 15. 
Eph. 6 : 5-9. 



DIDACTIC. 67 



doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men : knowing 
that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same 
shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, for- 
bearing threatening : knowing that your Master also is 
in heaven ; neither is there respect of persons with him. 

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to 
the flesh ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers ; but in 
singleness of heart, fearing God : and whatsoever ye do, 
do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men ; know- 
ing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the 
inheritance : for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that 
doeth wrong, shall receive for the wrong which he hath 
done : and there is no respect of persons. 

Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own mas- 
ters, and to please them well in all things ; not answering 
again ; not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity ; 
that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in 
all things. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation 
liath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying 
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, 
righteously, and godly, in this present world. 

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear ; not 
only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 
For this is thank- worthy, if a man for conscience toward 
God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory 
is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take 
it patiently ? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, 
ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For 
even hereunto were ye called ; because Christ also suf- 
fered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should 
follow his steps : who did no sin, neither was guile found 
in his mouth : who, when he was reviled, reviled not 
again ; when he suffered, he threatened not ; but com- 
mitted himself to him that judgeth righteously. 

Let as many servants as are under the yoke count 



Col. 3:22-25. Titus 2 : 9-12. 1 Peter 2 : 18-23. 1 Tim. 6:1,2. 



68 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of 
God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that 
have believing masters, let them not despise them, be- 
cause they are brethren ; but rather do them service, 
because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the 
benefit. These things teach and exhort. 

Masters, give unto your servants that which is just 
and equal ; knowing that ye also have a Master in 
heaven. 

Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and 
needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy stran- 
gers that are in thy land within thy gates ; at his day 
thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down 
upon it ; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it ; 
lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto 
thee. 

If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of 
my maid-servant, when they contended with me ; what 
then shall I do when God riseth up ? and when he visit- 
eth, w^hat shall I answer him ? Did not he that made 
me in the womb make him ? and did not one fashion us 
in the womb ? 



DUTY TO MAGISTRATES INCULCATED. 

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the 
Lord's sake : whether it be to the king, as supreme ; or 
unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for 
the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them 
that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well- 
doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish 
men : as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of mali- 
ciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. 
Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and 

Col. 4:L Deut. 24 : 14, 15. Job 31 : 13-15. 1 Peter 2 : 13-17. Tit. 3:1. 



DIDACTIC. 



powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good 
work. 

And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that 
thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou 
the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly ; 
is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cesar, or no ? And 
he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the 
things which be Cesar's, and unto God the things which 
be God's. 

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers ; 
for there is no power but of God : the powers that be 
are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the 
power, resisteth the ordinance of God ; and they that re- 
sist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers 
are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt 
thou then not be afraid of the power ? Do that which 
is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he 
is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do 
that which is evil, be afraid ; for he beareth not the 
sword in vain : for he is the minister of God, a revenger 
to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore 
ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also 
for conscience' sake. For, for this cause pay ye tribute 
also ; for they are God's ministers, attending continually 
upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues : 
tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom cus- 
tom ; fear to whom fear ; honour to whom honour. 

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, 
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for 
all men ; for kings, and for all that are in authority ; that 
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness 
and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the 
sight of God our Saviour ; who will have all men to be 
saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 
For there is one God, and one mediator between God 
and men, the man Christ Jesus. 

Luke 20 : 21-25. Rom. 13 : 1-7. 1 Tim. 2 : 1-5. 



70 SCRIPTURE SCPIOOL READER. 



CHARITY IN JUDGING AND FILIAL CON- 
FIDENCE IN PRAYER. 

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what 
judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged : and with what 
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy bro- 
ther's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine 
own eye ? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me 
pull out the mote out of thine eye : and, behold, a beam 
is in thine own eye ? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the 
beam out of thine own eye ; and then shalt thou see 
clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast 
ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them 
under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 

Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; 
knock, and it shall be opened unto you : for every one 
that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth ; and 
to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask 
bread, will he give him a stone ? Or if he ask a fish, 
will he give him a serpent ? If ye then, being evil, know 
how to give good gifts unto your children, how much 
more shall your Father which is in heaven give good 
things to them that ask him ? 

And Jesus spake a parable unto them to this end, that 
men ought always to pray, and not to faint ; saying. 
There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, 
neither regarded man : and there was a widow in that 
city ; and she came unto him, saying. Avenge me of 
mine adversary. And he would not for a while : but 
afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, 
nor regard man ; yet, because this widow troubleth me, 
I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she 



Matt. 7: 1-11. Luke 18: 1-8. 



DIDACTIC. 71 



weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust 
judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, 
which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long 
with them ? I tell you, that he will avenge them 
speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, 
shall he find faith on the earth ? 



SUPREME REGARD TO GOD IN ALL RELATIONS 
, ' OF LIFE. 

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where 
moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break 
through and steal : but lay up for yourselves treasures 
in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, 
and where thieves do not break through nor steal : for 
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

The light of the body is the eye : If therefore thine eye 
be single, thy whole body shall be full of light : but if 
thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of dark- 
ness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, 
how great is that darkness ! 

No man can serve two masters : for either he w^ill 
hate the one, and love the other ; or else he will hold to 
the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God 
and Mammon. 

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, 
what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink ; nor yet for 
your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more 
than meat, and the body than raiment ? ' Behold the 
fowls of the air : for they sow not, neither do they reap, 
nor gather into barns ; yet your heavenly Father feed- 
eth them. Are ye not much better than they ? 

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit 
unto his stature ? And why take ye thought for raiment ? 
Consider the lihes of the field, how they grow ; they toil 



Matt. 6 : 18-34. 



72 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



not, neither do they spin : and yet I say unto you, That 
even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one 
of these. 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, 
which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, 
shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat ? 
or. What shall we drink ? or, Wherewithal shall we be 
clothed ? (For after all these things do the Gentiles 
seek :) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have 
need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom 
of God, and his righteousness ; and all these things shall 
be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the 
morrow ; for the. morrow shall take thought for the 
things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil 
thereof. 



TRUE STANDARD OF VIRTUE. 

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them 
of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt 
perform unto the Lord thine oaths : but I say unto you, 
Swear not at all : neither by heaven ; for it is God's 
throne : nor by the earth ; for it is his footstool : neither 
by Jerusalem ; for it is the city of the great King : 
neither shalt thou swear by thy head ; because thou 
canst not make one hair white or black. But let your 
communication be Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : for whatsoever 
is more than these cometh of evil. 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an 
eye, and a tooth for a tooth : but I say unto you, That 
ye resist not evil ; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy 
right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man 
will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him 
have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee 



Matt. 5 : 33-48. 



DIDACTIC. 73 



to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that ask- 
eth thee ; and from him that would borrow of thee turn 
not thou away. 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love 
thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy : but I say unto you. 
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good 
to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite- 
fully use you, and persecute you ; that ye may be the 
children of your Father which is in heaven : for he 
maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and 
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye 
love them which love you, what reward have ye ? do 
not even the pubUcans the same ? And if ye salute your 
brethren only, what do ye more than others ? do not 
even the publicans so ? Be ye therefore perfect, even as 
your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 



MANNER OF RELIGIOUS DUTIES. 

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be 
seen of them ; otherwise ye have no reward of your 
Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest 
thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the 
hypocrites do in the synagogues, and in the streets, that 
they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you. 
They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let 
not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth ; that 
thine alms may be in secret : and thy Father, which 
seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. 

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypo- 
crites are : for they love to pray standing in the syna- 
gogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may 
be seen of men. Verily I say unto you. They have their 
reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy 
closet ; and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy 



Matt. 6 : 1-18. 



74 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

Father which is in secret ; and thy Father, which seeth 
in secret, shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, 
use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do : for they 
think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 
Be not ye therefore like unto them : for your Father 
knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask 
him. 

Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of 
a sad countenance : for they disfigure their faces, that 
they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto 
you. They have their reward. But thou, when thou 
fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face ; that thou 
appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, which 
is in secret : and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall 
reward thee openly. 



PARABLE OF THE SOWER. 

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by 
the sea-side. And great multitudes were gathered to- 
gether unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat ; 
and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he 
spake many things unto them in parables, saying. Behold, 
a sower went forth to sow : and v/hen he sowed, some 
seeds fell by the way-side, and the fowls came and de- 
voured them up. Some fell upon stony places, where 
they had not much earth ; and forthwith they sprung 
up, because they had no deepness of earth : and when 
the sun was up, they were scorched ; and because they 
had no root, they withered away. . And some fell among 
thorns ; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them. 
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, 
some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why 

Matt. 13 : 1-23. 



DIDACTIC. 



speakest thou unto them m parables ? He answered and 
said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the 
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not 
given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and 
he shall have more abundance : but whosoever hath not, 
from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

Therefore speak I to them in parables : because they 
seeing, see not ; and hearing, they hear not ; neither do 
they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy 
of Esaias, which saith. By hearing ye shall hear, and shall 
not understand ; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not 
perceive : for this people's heart is waxed gross, and 
their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have 
closed ; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, 
and hear with their ears, and should understand with 
their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal 
them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see ; and 
your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, 
That many prophets and righteous men have desired to 
see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; 
and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not 
heard them. 

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When 
any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and under- 
standeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catch- 
eth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he 
which received seed by the way-side. But he that re- 
ceived the seed into stony places, the same is he that 
heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it : yet 
hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while ; for 
when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the 
word, by and by he is offended. He also that received 
seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word : and 
the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, 
choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he 
that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth 



Matt. 13 : 1-23. 



76 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



the word, and understandeth it ; which also beareth truit, 
and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, 
some thirty. , . 



PARABLE OF THE TARES. 

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which 
sowed good seed in his field ; but while men slept, his 
enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, and 
went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and 
brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So 
the servants of the householder came and said unto him. 
Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field ? from 
whence then hath it tares ? He said unto them. An 
enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him. 
Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up ? But 
he said, Nay ; lest, while ye gather up the tares, ye root 
up also the wheat with them. Let both grow" together 
until the harvest ; and in the time of harvest I will say 
to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and 
bind them in bundles to burn them : but gather the wheat 
into my barn. 

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into 
the house ; and his disciples came unto him, saying. 
Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the 
good seed is the Son of man ; the field is the world ; 
the good seed are the children of the kingdom ; but the 
tares are the children of the wicked one ; the enemy 
that sowed them is the devil ; the harvest is the end of 
the world ; and the reapers are the angels. As there- 
fore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire ; so 
shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of man 
shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of 
his kingdom all things that offend, and them w^hich do 



Matt. 13: 24-10. 



DIDACTIC. 77 



iniquity ; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire : 
there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall 
the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of 
their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 



PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS. 

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten 
virgins, v^hich took their lamps, and went forth to meet 
the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five 
were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, 
and took no oil with them : but the wise took oil in their 
vessels with their lamps. 

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and 
slept. And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold, 
the bridegroom cometh ; go ye out to meet him. Then 
all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And 
the foolish said unto the wise. Give us of your oil ; for 
our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, say- 
ing. Not so ; lest there be not enough for us and you : 
but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for your- 
selves. And while they went to buy. The bridegroom 
came ; and they that were ready went in with him to the 
marriage : and the door was shut. Afterward came also 
the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But 
he answered and said. Verily I say unto you, I know you 
not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor 
the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 



PARABIiE OF THE TALENTS, 

The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a 
far country, who called his own servants, and delivered 
unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, 



Matt. 25 : 1-13. Matt. 25 : 14-25. 



78 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



to another two, and to another one ; to every man ac- 
cording to his several abiUty ; and straightway took his 
journey. 

Then he that had received the five talents went and 
traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained 
other two. But he that had received one went and 
digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, 
and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received 
five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, 
Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents : behold, 1 
have gained besides them five talents more. His lord 
said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant : 
thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make 
thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of 
thy lord. 

He also that had received two talents came and said, 
Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents : behold, I 
have gained two other talents besides them. His lord 
said unto him. Well done, good and faithful servant ; 
thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make 
thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of 
thy lord. 

Then he which had received the one talent came and 
said. Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reap- 
ing where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou 
hast not strewed : and I was afraid, and went and hid 
thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou hast that is thine. 
His lord answered and said unto him. Thou wicked and 
slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed 
not, and gather where I have not strewed ; thou ought- 
est therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, 
and then at my coming I should have received mine own 
with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and 
give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every 



Matt. 25 : 14--23. 



DIDACTIC. 79 



one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abund- 
ance : but from him that hath not, shall be taken aw^ay 
even that v^hich he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable 
servant into outer darkness : there shall be v^eeping and 
gnashing of teeth. 



PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON. 

A certain man had tw^o sons : and the younger of 
them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of 
goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his 
living. And not many days after, the younger son 
gathered all together, and took his journey into a far 
country, and there wasted his substance vi^ith riotous 
living. And vs^hen he had spent all, there arose a mighty 
famine in that land ; and he began to be in want. And 
he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country ; 
and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he 
would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the 
swine did eat : and no man gave unto him. And when 
he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants 
of my father's have bread enough, and to spare, and I 
perish with hunger ! I will arise and go- to my father, 
and will say unto him. Father, I have sinned against 
Heaven, and before thee. And am no more worthy to 
be called thy son : make me as one of thy hired servants. 

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he 
was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had 
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed Jiim. 
And the son said unto him. Father, I have sinned against 
Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be 
called thy son. But the father said to his servants, 
Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him ; and put a 
ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet : and bring hither 
the fatted calf, and kill it ; and let us eat, and be merry : 

Luke 15: n-32. 



80 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



for this my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, 
and is found. And they began to be merry. 

Now his elder son was in the field : and as he came 
and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these 
things meant. And he said unto him. Thy brother is 
come ; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because 
he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, 
and would not go in : therefore came his father out, and 
entreated him. And he answering, said to his father, Lo, 
these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I 
at any time thy commandment ; and yet thou never 
gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my 
friends : but as soon as this thy son was come, which 
hath devoured thy living with harlots, thoa hast killed 
for him .the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou 
art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was 
meet that we should make merry, and be glad ; for this 
thy brother was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, 
and is found. 



PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS. 

There was a certain rich man which was clothed in 
purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. 

And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, 
which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to 
be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's 
table : moreover, the dogs came and licked^ his sores. 

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was 
carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom : the rich 
man also died, and was buried ; and in hell he lifted up 
his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, 
and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried, and said, 
Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, 



Luke 16 : 19-31. 



DIDACTIC, 81 



that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool 
my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But 
Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy hfe-time 
receivedst thy good things, and hkewise Lazarus evil 
things : but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 
And besides all this, between us and you there is a great 
gulf fixed ; so that they which would pass from hence to 
you cannot ; neither can they pass to us, that would 
come from thence. 

Then he said,.! pray thee therefore, father, that thou 
wouldest send him to my father's house : for I have five 
brethren ; that he may testify unto them, lest they also 
come into this place of torment. 

Abraham saith unto him. They have Moses and the 
prophets ; let them hear them. 

And he said. Nay, father Abraham : but if one went 
unto them from the dead, they will repent. 

And he said unto him. If they hear not Moses and the 
prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose 
from the dead. 



PARABLE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD. 

Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that entereth not 
by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some 
other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that 
entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 
To him the porter openeth ; and the sheep hear his 
voice : and he calleth his own sheep by name, and lead- 
eth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, 
he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him : for 
they know his voice. And a stranger will they not fol- 
low, but will flee from him : for they know not the voice 
of strangers. 

John 10: 1-30. 



82 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

This parable spake Jesus unto them : but they under- 
stood not what things they were which he spake unto 
them. 

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever 
came before me are thieves and robbers : but the sheep 
did not hear them. I am the door ; by me if any man 
enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and 
find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and 
to kill, and to destroy : I am come that they might have 
life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am 
the good shepherd : the good shepherd giveth his life for 
the sheep. 

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose 
own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth 
the sheep, and fieeth ; and the wolf catcheth them, and 
scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is 
an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good 
shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father \ 
and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep 
I have, which are not of this fold : them also I must 
bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be 
one fold, and one shepherd. 

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay 
down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh 
it from me, but I lay it down of myself I have power 
to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This 
commandment have I received of my Father. My 
sheep hear my voice, and I know" them, and they follow 
me : and I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall 
never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my 
hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than 
all : and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's 
hand. I and my Father are one. 

John 10: 1-30. 



DIDACTIC. 83 



GRACIOUS INVITATIONS. 

The Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with 
Moses. And the Lord passed by before him, and pro- 
claimed, The Lord,- the Lord God, merciful and gracious, 
long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 
keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and 
transgression and sin. 

God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into 
the world to condemn the world ; but that the world 
through him might be saved. Look unto me, and be ye 
saved, all the ends of the earth : for I am God, and there 
is none else. 

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, 
and he that hath no money : come ye, buy, and eat ; 
yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and with- 
out price. Wherefore do ye spend* money for that 
which is not bread ? and your labor for that which satis- 
fieth not ? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that 
which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 
Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul 
shall live ; and I will make an everlasting covenant with 
you, even the sure mercies of David. Come unto me, 
all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; 
for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest 
unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden 
is light. 

A certain king sent forth his servants, saying. Tell them 
which are bidden, behold, I have prepared my dinner : 
my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are 
ready : come unto the marriage. 



Exod. 34: 5-7. John 3: 16,17. Isaiah 45 : 22. Isaiah 55 : 1-3. Matt. 11 : 28-30, 
Matt. 22 : 4. 



84 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood 
and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto 
me, and drink. 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man 
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, 
and will sup with him, and he with me. And the Spirit 
and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, 
Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whoso- 
ever will, let him take the water of life freely. And it 
shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name 
of the Lord shall be saved. 



EXPOSTULATION. 

Hear O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord 
hath spoken ; I have nourished and brought up children, 
and they have rebelled against me. 

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have 
no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the 
wicked turn from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye 
from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of 
Israel. 

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, 
and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often 
would I have gathered thy children together, even as a 
hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye 
would not ? Then began he to upbraid the cities 
wherein most of his mighty works were done, because 
they repented not. Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto 
thee Bethsaida : for if the mighty works which were 
done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they 
would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 
But I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre 
and Sidon, at the day of judgment, than for you. And 
thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be 



John?: 37. Rev. 3 : 20. Ilev. 22 : 17. Acts 2 : 21. Isaiah 1 : 2. Ezek. 33 : 11. 
Matt. 23 : 37. Matt. 11 : 20-24. 



DIDACTIC. 85 



brought down to hell : for if the mighty works which 
have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it 
would have remained until this day. But I say unto 
you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of 
Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for thee. 

The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment 
with the men of this nation, and condemn them : for she 
came from the utmost parts of the earth, to hear the 
wisdom of Solomon :• and behold a greater than Solomon 
is here. The men of Ninevah shall rise up in the judg- 
ment with this generation, and shall condemn it : for 
they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold a 
greater than Jonah is here. For if we sin wilfully after 
that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there 
remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful 
looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which 
shall devour the adversaries. 

He that despised Moses' Law, died without mercy, 
under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer 
punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who 
hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted 
the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, 
an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of 
grace ? 

Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched 
out my hand, and no man regarded : but ye have set at 
naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof : 
I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when 
your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desola- 
tion, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind : when 
distress and anguish cometh upon you : then shall they 
call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me 
early, but they shall not find me. 

He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, 
shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 



Luke 11 : 31, 32. Heb. 10 : 26-29. Prov. 1 : 24-23. Prov. 29 : 1. 



86 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



PROMISES TO THE RIGHTEOUS. 

Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me be 
with me where I am : that they may behold my glory 
which thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me before 
the foundation of the world. 

In my Father's house are many mansions : if it were 
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place 
for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will 
come again and receive you unto myself; that where I 
am, there ye may be also. 

We, according to his promise, look for new heavens 
and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. I 
John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down 
from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned 
for her husband. And there shall in no wise enter into 
it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh 
abomination, or maketh a lie ; but they which are written 
in the Lamb's book of hfe. Then shall the righteous 
shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 
And there shall be no night there ; and they need no 
candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God giveth 
them light : and they shall reign for ever and ever. 
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve 
him day and night in his temple ; and he that sitteth on 
the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger 
no more, neither thirst any more ; neither shall the sun 
light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in 
the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead 
them unto living fountains of waters : and God shall 
wipe away all tears from their eyes. 

They sung as it were a new song before the throne, 
and before the four beasts, and the elders : and no man 
could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four 
thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 



John 17 : 24. John 14 : 2, 3. 2 Pet. 3 : 13. Rev. 21 : 2-27. Matt. 13 : 43. Rev. 22 : 5. 
Rev. 7 : 15-17. Rev. 14 : 3. 



DIDACTIC. 87 



Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from 
henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest 
from their labom's ; and their works do follow them. 
Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God : 
for he hath prepared for them a city. There remaineth 
therefore a rest to the people of God. But as it is 
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have 
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath 
prepared for them that love him. 

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not 
yet appear what we shall be : but we know that, when 
he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see 
him as he is. Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of 
Christ's sufferings ; that, when his glory shall be revealed, 
ye may be gl^d also with exceeding joy. For I reckon, 
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to 
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in 
us. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory. 

Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father's good 
pleasure to give you the kingdom, when the Lord Jesus 
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. 

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where 
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves 
do not break through nor steal. Thy sun shall no more 
go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself : for the 
Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy 
mourning shall be ended. 

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, 
and to present you faultless before the presence of his 
glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our 
Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, 
both now and ever. Amen. 

We are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of 



Rev. 14:13. Heb. 11 : 16. Heb. 4 : 9. 1 Cor. 2 : 9. IJohn 3 : 2. IPet. 4: 13. 
Rom. 8 : 18. 2 Cor. 4 : 17. Luke 12 : 32. 2 Tlies. 1 : 7. Matt. 6 : 20. Isaiah 60 : 20. 
Jude 24 : 26. Heb. 12 : 22-24, 



88 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innu- 
merable company of angels, to the general assembly and 
church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, 
and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just 
men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator. 

Thou wilt show me the path of life : in thy presence 
is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures 
for evermore. * 



THREATNINGS AGAINST THE WICKED. 

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was 
cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind ; which, 
when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and 
gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 
So shall it be at the end of the world : the angels shall 
come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 
and shall cast them into the furnace of fire : there shall 
be wailing, and gnashing of teeth. 

When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all 
the workers of iniquity do flourish : it is that they shall 
be destroyed for ever. When a wicked man dieth, his 
expectation shall perish : and the hope of unjust men 
perisheth. 

I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the pros- 
perity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their 
death : but their strength is firm. They are not in trou- 
ble as other men : neither are they plagued like othei' 
men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a 
chain : violence covereth them as a garment. Their 
eyes stand out with fatness : they have more than heart 
could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly 
concerning oppression : they speak loftily. They set 
their mouth against the heavens ; and their tongue walk- 
eth through the earth. When I thought to know this, it 



Ps. 16 : 11. Matt. 13 : 47-50. Ps. 92 : 7. Prov. 11 : 7. Ps. 73 : 3-19. 



DIDACTIC. 89 



was too painful for me, until I went into the sanctuary of 
God ; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst 
set them in slippery places : thou castedst them down 
into destruction. How are they brought into desolation 
as in a moment ? they are utterly consumed with terrors. 
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, 
and a horrible tempest : this shall be the portion of their 
cup. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the 
nations that forget God. Whosoever shall deny me 
before men, him will I also deny before my Father which 
is in heaven. For if we sin wilfully after that we have 
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no 
more sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful looking for 
of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the 
adversaries. 

I say unto you. That except your righteousness shall 
exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, 
ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life : and 
he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life : but the 
wrath of God abideth on him. If any man love not the 
Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the 
kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither fornica- 
tors, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor eflfeminate, nor 
abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor 
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, 
shall inherit the kingdom of God. Then said one unto 
him. Lord, are there few that be saved ? And he said 
unto them. Strive to enter in at the strait gate : lor 
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not 
be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, 
and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand with- 
out, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open 
unto us, and he shall answer, and say unto you, I know 
you not whence you are : then shall ye begin to say, 



Ps. 11 : 6. Ps. 9 : 17. Matt. 10 : 33. Heb. 10 : 26, 27. Matt. 5 : 20. 1 John 3 : 36. 
1 Cor. 16 : 22. 1 Cor. 6 : 9, 10. Luke 13 : 23-28. 



90 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou 
hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, 
I know you not whence you are ; depart from me all ye 
workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnash- 
ing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and 
Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and 
you yourselves thrust out. 

Marvel not at this : for the hour is coming, in the 
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and 
shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the 
resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto 
the resurrection of damnation. 

Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven : but he that doeth the 
will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say 
to me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied 
in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils ? and 
in thy name done many wonderful works ? And then 
will I profess unto them, I never knew you : depart from 
me, ye that work iniquity. 

As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire : so 
shall it be in the end of this world. The son of man 
shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of 
his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do 
iniquity : then shall he say also unto them on the left 
hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, 
prepared for the devil and his angels. And these shall 
go away into everlasting punishment : but the righteous 
into life eternal. 

Whosoever was not found written in the book of life, 
was cast into the lake of fire. 

The heavens and the earth which are now, are kept 
in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, 
and perdition of ungodly men ; when the Lord Jesus 
shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, 
in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not 



John 5 : 28, 29. Matt. 7 : 21-23. Matt. 13 : 40, 41. Matt. 25 : 41-46. Rev. 20 : 15. 
2 Peter 3 : 7. 1 Thes. 1 : 7-9. 



DIDACTIC. 91 



God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruc- 
tion from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory 
of his power. 

To me belongeth vengeance, and recompense, their 
foot shall slide in due time : for the day of their cala- 
mity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them, 
make haste. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine 
hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to 
mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me ; unto 
them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, 
but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribu- 
lation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth 
evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. Is God 
unrighteous who taketh vengeance ? (I speak as a man.) 
God forbid : for then how shall God judge the world ? 
If God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them 
down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, 
to be reserved unto judgment : the Lord knoweth how 
lO reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be 
punished : 

It came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried 
by the angels into Abraham's bosom : the rich man also 
died, and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes 
being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and 
Lazarus in his bosom : and he cried, and said, Father 
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he 
may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my 
tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. 

If thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee 
to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go 
into hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
quenched. 

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto 
death, he shall ask, and he shall give him Hfe for them 
that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death : I do 



Deut. 32 : 35-41. Rom. 2 : 8, 9. Rom. 3 : o, 6. 2 Peter 2 : 4-9. Luke 16 : 22-24. 
Mark 9 : 43, 44. 1 John 5 : 16. 



92 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

not say that he shall pray for it. Verily I say unto you, 
All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and 
blasphemies, wherewith soever they shall blaspheme : 
but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, 
hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal 
damnation. 

The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him : but 
the desire of the righteous shall be granted. 

The harvest is past, the sum-mer is ended, and we are 
not saved. 

Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with 
bloody men. 



Mark 3 : 28, 29. Prov. 10 : 24. Jcr. 8 : 20. Ps. 26 : 9. 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

PART SECOND. 
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 

THE CREATION. 

B. C. 4004. In the beginning God created the heaven 
and the earth. And the earth was without form, and 
void ; and darkness was upon the face of the deep : and 
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 

And God said, Let there be Hght : and there was hght. 
And God saw the hght, that it was good : and God 
divided the hght from the darkness. And God called 
the light Day, and the darkness he called Night : and 
the evening and the morning were the first day. 

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst 
of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the 
waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the 
waters which were under the firmament from the waters 
which were above the firmament : and it was so. And 
God called the firmament Heaven : and the evening and 
the morning were the second day. 

And God said. Let the waters under the heaven be 
gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land 
appear : and it was so. And God called the dry land 
Earth ; and the gathering together of the waters called 
he Seas : and God saw that it was good. And God 
said. Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding 
seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose 



Genesis 



94 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

seed is in itself, upon the earth : and it was so. And the 
earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after 
his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in 
itself, after his kind : and God saw that it was good. 
And the evening and the morning were the third day. 

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of 
the heaven, to divide the day from the night ; and let 
them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and 
years. And let them be for lights in the firmament of 
the heaven, to give light upon the earth : and it was 
so. And God made two great lights ; the greater 
light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the 
night : he made the stars also. And God set them in 
the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 
and to rule over the day, and over the night, and to 
divide the light from the darkness : and God saw that 
it was good. And the evening and the morning were 
the fourth day. 

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly 
the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly 
above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And 
God created great whales, and every living creature that 
moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after 
their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind : and God 
saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be 
fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and 
let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the 
morning were the fifth day. 

And God said. Let the earth bring forth the living 
creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and 
beast of the earth after his kind : and it was so. And 
God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and 
cattle after tiieir kind, and every thing that creepeth 
upon the earth after his kind : and God saw that it was 
good. 

And God said. Let us make man in our image, after 



Gen. 1 : ll-'26. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL 95 



our likeness : and let them have dominion over the fish 
of the sea, -and over the fowl of the air, and over the 
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping 
thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; 
and man became a living soul. 

And out of the ground the Lord God formed every 
beast of the field, and every fov^l of the air, and brought 
them unto Adam, to see what he would call them : and 
whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was 
the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, 
and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field : 
but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him. 

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man 
should be alone ; I will make him a help meet for him. 
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, 
and he slept ; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up 
the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord 
God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought 
her unto the man. And Adam said. This is now bone 
of my bones, and flesh of my flesh : she shall be called 
woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore 
shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall 
cleave unto his wife : and they shall be one flesh. 

So God created man in his own image, in the image 
of God created he him ; male and female created he them. 
And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, 
it was very good. And the evening and the morning 
were the sixth day. 

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all 
the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended 
his work which he had made ; and he rested on the 
seventh day from all his work which he had made. And 
God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it : because 
that in it he had rested from all his work which God 
created and made. 

Gen. 1 : 26. Gen 2 : 7-25. 



96 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in 
Eden ; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every 
tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food : the 
tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree 
of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out 
of Eden to w^ater the garden : and from thence it was 
parted, and became into four heads. 

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the 
garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it. And the 
Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree 
of the garden thou mayest freely eat : but of the tree 
of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of 
it : for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt 
surelv die. 



THE FALL. 

Now the serpent was more subtile than any beast of 
the field which the Lord God had made : and he said 
unto the woman. Yea, hath God said. Ye shall not eat of 
every tree of the garden ? And the woman said unto 
the serpent. We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the 
garden : but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst 
of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, 
neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent 
said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die : for God 
doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your 
eyes shall be opened ; and ye shall be as gods, knowing 
good and evil. 

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for 
food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree 
to be desired to make one wise ; she took of the fruit 
thereof, and did eat ; and gave also unto her husband 
with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both 

Gen. 2 : 8-17. Gen. 3 : 1-6. 



B. C. 4004.] HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL 97 



were opened, and they knew that they were naked : and 
they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves 
aprons. 

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking 
in the garden in the cool of the day : and Adam and his 
wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God 
amongst the trees of the garden. 

And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto 
him, Where art thou ? 

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden : and I 
was afraid, because I was naked ; and I hid myself 

And he said. Who told thee that thou wast naked ? 
Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee, 
that thou shouldest not eat ? 

And the man said. The woman whom thou gavest to 
be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 

And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this 
that thou hast done ? 

And the woman said. The serpent beguiled me, and I 
did eat. 

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou 
hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and 
above every beast of the field : upon thy belly shalt thou 
go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life : and 
I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and 
between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, 
and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy 
sorrow and thy conception ; in sorrow thou shall bring 
forth children : and thy desire shall be to thy husband, 
and he shall rule over thee. 

• And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened 
unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of 
which I commanded thee, saying. Thou shalt not eat of 
it : cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt 
thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; thorns also and 

Gen. 3 : 8-17. 



98 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat 
the herb of the field : in the sweat of thy face shalt thou 
eat bread, till thou return unto the ground ; for out of it 
wast thou taken : for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt 
thou return. 

And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she 
was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to 
his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and 
clothed them. 

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as 
one of us, to know" good and evil. And now, lest he put 
forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, 
and live for ever : therefore the Lord God sent him 
forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from 
whence he was taken. So he drove out the man : and 
he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim, 
and a flammg sword which turned every way, to keep 
the way of the tree of life. 



DEATH OF ABEL. 

And Eve bare a son, and said, I have gotten a man 
from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel, 
and Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller 
of the ground. 

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain 
brought of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the 
Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his 
flock, and of the fat thereof: and the Lord had respect 
unto Abel, and to his offering. But unto Cain, and to his 
offering he had not respect ; and Cain was very wr6th, 
and his countenance fell. 

And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth ? 
And why is thy countenance fallen ? If thou do wello 
shalt thou not be accepted ? and if thou doest not well, 

Gen. 3 : 18-24. Gen 4 : 1-7. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL 99 



sin lieth at the door: and unto thee shall be his' desire, 
and thou shalt rule over him. 

And Cain talked with Abel his brother : and it came 
to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up 
against Abel his brother, and slew him. 

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy 
brother ? 

And he said, I know not : Am I my brother's keeper ? 

And he said, What hast thou done ? the voice of thy 
brother's blood crieth unto me, from the ground. And 
now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened 
her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. 
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth 
yield unto thee her strength : a fugitive and a vagabond 
shalt thou be in the earth. 

And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater 
than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out 
this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face 
shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond 
in the earth : and it shall come to pass, that every one 
that findeth me, shall slay me. 

^ And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever 
slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven 
fold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any find- 
ing him, should kill him. 

And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and 
dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 



THE DELUGE. 

B. C. 2448. And it came to pass, when men began 
to multiply on the face of the earth, God saw that the 
wickedness of man was great, and that every imagi- 
nation of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continu- 
ally. And it repented the Lord that he had made man 



Gen. 4: 8-16- Gen 6: 1-6. 



100 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the 
Lord said, I will destroy man, whom I have created, from 
the face of the earth ; both man and beast, and the creep- 
ing thing, and the fowls of the air : for it repenteth me 
that I have made them. 

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These 
are the generations of Noah : Noah was a just man, and 
perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come 
before me ; for the earth is filled with violence through 
them ; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 

Make thee an ark of gopher- wood : rooms shalt thou 
make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without 
with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt 
make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred 
cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it 
thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, 
and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above ; and the door 
of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof: with lower, 
second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 

And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon 
the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of 
life, from under heaven : and every thing that is in the 
earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my cove- 
nant : and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy 
sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And 
of every Uving thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt 
thou , bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee : 
they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their 
kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping 
thing of the earth after his kind ; two of every sort shall 
come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou 
unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather 
it to thee ; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 
Thus did Noah ; according to all that God commanded 
him, so did he. 



Gen. 6 : 6-22. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 101 



And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his 
sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters 
of the flood. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not 
clean, and of flowls, and of every thing that creepeth 
upon the earth, there went in two and two unto Noah 
into the ark, the male and the female, as God had com- 
manded Noah. And it came to pass, after seven days, 
that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second 
month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day 
were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and 
the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was 
upon the earth forty days and forty nights. And the 
waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the 
earth: and the ark went upon the face of the waters. 
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth ; 
and all the high hills that were under the whole heaven 
were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters 
prevail : and the mountains were covered. 

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of 
fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping 
thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man : all 
in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in 
the dry land, died. And every living substance was de- 
stroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both 
man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of 
the heaven ; and they were destroyed from the earth ; 
and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with 
him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth 
a hundred and fifty days. 



THE WATERS ASSUAGED. 

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, 
and all the cattle that was with him in the ark : and God 



Gen. 7 • 7-24. Gen. 8 : 1. 



102 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters as- 
suaged ; the fountains also of the deep, and the windows 
of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was 
restrained ; and the waters returned from off the earth 
continually : and after the end of the hundred and fifty 
days the waters were abated. 

And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the 
seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of 
Ararat. And the waters decreased continually, until the 
tenth month : in the tenth month, on the first day of the 
month, were the tops of the mountains seen. 

And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah 
opened the window of the ark which he had made : and 
he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until 
the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he 
sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters wjre 
abated from off the face of the ground ; but the dove 
found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned 
unto him into the ark ; for the waters were on the face 
of the whole earth. Then he put forth his hand, and 
took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And 
he stayed yet other seven days, and again he sent forth 
the dove out of the ark. And the dove came in to him 
in the evening, and lo, in her mouth was an olive-leaf 
pluckt off. So Noah knew that the waters were abated 
from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days, 
and sent forth the dove ; which returned not again unto 
him any more. 

And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, 
in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters 
were dried up from off the earth : and Noah removed 
the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face 
of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on 
the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth 
dried. 

And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the 

Gen. 8: 2-15. 



HISyORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 103 



ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives 
with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that 
is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and 
of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth ; 
that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be 
fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. 

And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and 
his sons' wives with him : Every beast, every creeping 
thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the 
earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. 



COVENANT WITH NOAH. 

And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of 
every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered 
burnt-offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a 
sweet savour ; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not 
again curse the ground any moi'e for man's sake ; for the 
imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth : neither 
will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have 
done. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, 
and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and 
night, shall not cease. 

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto 
them. Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 
And the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon 
every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, 
upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the 
fishes of the sea ; into your hand are they delivered. 
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you ; 
even as the green herb have I given you all things. But 
flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, 
shall ye not eat. 

And surely your blood of your lives will I require : at 
the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand 



Gen. 8 : 17-22. Gen. 9 : 1-5. 



104 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READEff. 



of man ; at the hand of every man's brother will I re- 
quire the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by 
man shall his blood be shed : for in the image of God 
made he man. And you, be ye fruitful, and multi- 
ply ; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply 
therein. 

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, 
saying. And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, 
and with your seed after you ; and with every Hving 
creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and 
of every beast of the earth with you from all that go out 
of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will es- 
tablish my covenant with you ; neither shall all flesh be 
cut off any more by the waters of a flood ; neither shall 
there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And 
God said, this is the token of the covenant which I make 
between me and you, and every living creature that is 
with you, for perpetual generations. I do set my bow 
in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant be- 
tween me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, 
when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall 
be seen in the cloud : and I will remember my covenant, 
which is between me and you, and every living creature 
of all flesh ; and the waters shall no more become a flood 
to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud ; 
and I will look upon it, that I may remember the ever- 
lasting covenant between God and every living creature 
of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto 
Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have 
established between me and all flesh that is upon the 
earth. 

And the sons of Noah that went forth of the ark, were 
Shem, and Ham, and Japheth : and Ham is the father 
of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah : and of 
them was the whole earth overspread. 

And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty 

Gen. 9 : 3, 20. 28. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 105 



years. And all the days of Noah were nine hundred 
and fifty years : and he died. 



THE CONFUSION OF LANGUAGES. 

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one 
speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from 
the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, 
and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, 
Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. 
And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for 
mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city, and 
a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven ; and let us 
make us a name^ lest we be scattered abroad upon the 
face of the whole earth. 

And the Lord came down to see the city and the 
tower, which the children of men builded. And the 
Lord said. Behold, the people is one, and they have all 
one language ; and this they begin to do : and now 
nothing will be restrained from them, which they have 
imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there con- 
found their language, that they may not understand one 
another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad 
from thence upon the face of all the earth : and they left 
off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called 
Babel, because the Lord did there confound the language 
of all the earth : and from thence did the Lord scatter 
them abroad upon the face of all the earth. 



LIFE OF ABRAHAM. 
i 

B. C. 192L These are the generations of Terah : 
Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran : and Haran be- 
gat Lot. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the 

Gen. 9: 29. Gen. 11 : 2,9,27. 



106 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



son of Haran, and Sarai Abi'am's wife ; and they went 
forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the 
land of Canaan ; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt 
there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and 
five years : and Terah died in Haran. 

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of 
thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's 
house, unto a land that I will shew thee : and I will make 
of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make 
thy name great ; and thou shalt be a blessing : and I 
will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth 
thee : and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto 
him, and Lot went with him : and Abram was seventy 
and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's 
son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and 
the souls that they had gotten m Haran ; and they went 
forth to go into the land of Canaan ; and into the land 
of Canaan they came. 

And Abram passed through the land unto the place of 
Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite 
was' then in the land. And the Lord appeared unto 
Abram, and said. Unto thy seed will I give this land : 
and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who ap- 
peared unto him. 

And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the 
east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on 
the west, and Hai on the east : and there he builded an 
altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord. 
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. 

And there was a famine in the land : and Abram went 
down into Egypt to sojourn there ; and he had sheep, and 
oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, 
and she-asses, and camels. 

§ And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife. 



Gen. 11 : 30-32, Gen. 12 : 1-16. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 107 



and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in 
gold. And he went on his journey s. from the south even 
to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the 
beginning, between Beth-el and Hai ; unto the place 
of the altar, which he had made there at the first : and 
there Abram called on the name of the Lord. 

And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, 
and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear 
them, that they might dwell together : for their sub- 
stance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's 
cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle : and the Canaanite 
and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram 
said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, be- 
tween me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy 
herdmen ; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land 
before thee ? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me : 
if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right ; 
or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the 
left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain 
of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before 
the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the 
garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as' thou 
comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of 
Jordan ; and Lot journeyed east : and they separated 
themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in 
the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the 
plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men 
of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord, 
exceedingly. 

And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was 
separated from him. Lift up now thine eyes, and look 
from the place where thou art, northward, and south- 
ward, and eastward, and westward : for all the land 
which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed 

Gen, 13 : 1-15. 



108 " SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the 
earth : so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, 
then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk 
through the land in the length of it and in the breadth 
of it ; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram re- 
moved his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of 
Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar 
unto the Lord. 

§ After these things the word of the Lord came unto 
Abram in a vision, saying, I am the Lord that brought 
thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to 
inherit it. 

And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I 
shall inherit it ? 

And he said unto him, Take me a heifer of three years 
old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three 
years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon. 

And he took unto him all these, and divided them in 
the midst, and laid each piece one against another : but 
the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came 
down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell 
upon Abram ; and lo, a horror of great darkness fell 
upon him. 

And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy 
seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and 
shall serve them ; and they shall afflict them four hun- 
dred years; and also that nation whom they sliall serve, 
will I judge : and afterward shall they come out with 
great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in 
peace ; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in 
the fourth generation they shall come hither again : for 
the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. The Lord 
made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed 
have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the 
great river, the river Euphrates. 



Gen. 13 : 16-18. Gen. 15 : 1-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 109 

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the 
Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the 
Almighty God ; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 
And Abram fell on his face : and God talked with him, 
saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and 
thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall 
thy name any more be called Abram ; but thy name 
shall be Abraham ; for a father of many nations have I 
made thee. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, 
and I will make nations of thee ; and kings shall come 
out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between 
me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their genera- 
tions, for an everlasting covenant ; to be a God unto 
thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto 
thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou 
art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting 
possession ; and I will be their God. 

§And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of 
Mamre : and he sat in the tent-door in the heat of the 
day : and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three 
men stood by him : and when he saw them, he ran to 
meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself toward 
the ground, and said, my Lord, if now I have found 
favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy 
servant : let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and 
wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree : and 
I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your 
hearts ; after that ye shall pass on : for therefore are ye 
come to your servant. And they said. So do, as thou 
hast said. 

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and 
said. Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, 
knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham 
ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, 
and gave it unto a young man ; and he hasted to dress 
it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he 



Gen. 17 : 1-8. Gen. 18 : 1-7. 



110 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



had dressed, and set it before them ; and he stood by 
them under the tree, and they did eat. And the men 
rose up from thence, and looked toward- Sodom : and 
Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 

And the Lord said. Shall I hide from Abraham that 
thing which I do ; seeing that Abraham shall surely 
become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations 
of the earth shall be blessed in him ? For I know him, 
that he will command his children and his household 
after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to 
do justice and judgment: that the Lord may bring upon 
Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. And the 
Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is 
great, and because their sin is very grevious, I will go 
dow^n now, and see whether they have done altogether 
according to the cry of it, which is come unto me ; and 
if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from 
thence, and went toward Sodom : but Abraham stood 
yet before the Lord. 

And Abraham drew near, and said. Wilt thou also 
destroy the righteous with the wicked ? Peradventure 
there be fifty righteous within the city : wilt thou also 
destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous 
that are therein ? That be far from thee to do after this 
manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that 
the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from 
thee : Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? 
And the Lord said. If I find in Sodom fifty righteous 
within the city, then I will spare all the place for their 
sakes. And Abraham answered and said. Behold now, 
I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am 
but dust and ashes : peradventure there shall lack five 
of the fifty- righteous : wilt thou destroy all the city for 
lack of five ? And .he said. If I find there forty and five, 
I will not destroy it. And he spake unto him yet again, 
and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. 



Gen. 18 : 8-29. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. Ill 



And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he 
said unto him, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will 
speak : Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. 
And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And 
he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak 
unto the Lord : Peradventure there shall be twenty 
found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for 
twenty's sake. And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be 
angry, and I will speak yet but this once : Peradventure 
ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy 
it for ten's sake. And the Lord went his way, as soon 
as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham 
returned unto his place. 

And there came two angels to Sodom at even ; and 
Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. And the men said unto 
Lot, Hast thou here any besides ? son-in-law, and thy 
sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the 
city, bring them out of this place : for we will destroy 
this place, because the cry of them is waxen great be- 
fore the face of the Lord ; and the Lord hath sent us to 
destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons- 
in-law, and said. Up, get you out of this place ; for the 
Lord will destroy this city : but he seemed as one that 
mocked unto his sons-in-law. 

And when the moining arose, the angels hastened Lot, 
saying. Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters 
which are here, lest thou be consumed in the irfiquity of 
the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon 
his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the 
hand of his two daughters ; the Lord being merciful unto 
him ;. and they brought him forth, and set him without 
the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought 
them forth abroad, that he said. Escape for thy life : 
look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain : 
escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 

The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered 

Gen. 18 : 30-33. Gen. 19 : 1-17. 



112 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



in Zoar. Then the Lord ramed upon Sodom and upon 
Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of 
heaven ; and he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, 
and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew^ 
upon the ground. Bat his wife looked back from behind 
him, and she became a pillar of salt. 

And Abram gat up early in the morning to the place 
where he stood before the Lord : and he looked toward 
Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the 
plain, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went 
up as the smoke of a furnace. 

And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mount- 
ain, and his two daughters with him ; for he feared to 
dwell in Zoar : and he dwelt in a cave, he, and his two 
daughters. And Abraham journeyed from thence to- 
ward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh 
and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham 
planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the 
name of the Lord, the everlasting God. And Abraham 
sojourned in the Philistines' land many days. 

§ And it came to pass after these things, that God did 
tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham : And he 
said. Behold, here I am. And he said, take now thy son, 
thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into 
the land of Moriah ; and offer him there for a burnt-offer- 
ing upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of 

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and 
saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, 
and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt-offer- 
ing, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God 
had told him. Then on the the third day Abraham lifted 
up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham 
said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and 
I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come 
again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt- 
offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son : and he took the 



Gen. 19 : 24-31. 20 : 1. 21 : 33, 34. 22 : 1-6. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 113 



fire in his hand and a knife : and they went both of them 
together. 

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, 
My father : and he said, Here am I, my son. And he 
said. Behold the fire and the wood : but where is the 
lamb for a burnt-offering ? 

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself 
a lamb for a burnt-offering : so they went both of them 
together. 

And they came to the place which God had told him 
of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood 
in order ; and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the 
altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his 
hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel 
of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, 
Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here am I. And he 
said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou 
any thing unto him : for now I know that thou fearest 
God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only 
son, from me. 

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and be- 
hold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns : 
And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him 
up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son. And 
Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh : 
as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall 
be seen. 

And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out 
of heaven the second time, and said. By myself have I 
sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this 
thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son : that 
in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will mul- 
tiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand 
which is upon the sea-shore ; and thy seed shall possess 
the gate of his enemies ; and in thy seed shall all the 
nations of the earth be blessed ; because thou hast obeyed 

Gen. 22 : 7-19. 



114 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



my voice. So Abraham returned unto his young men, 
and they rose up, and went together to Beer-sheba ; and 
Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba. 

§ And Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty 
years old. And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba ; the same 
is Hebron in the land of Canaan : and Abraham came 
to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. 

And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and 
spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and 
a sojourner with you : give me a possession of a burying- 
place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. 
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying 
unto him, Hear us, my lord ; thou art a mighty prince 
among us : in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy 
dead : none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, 
but that thou mayest bury thy dead. And Abraham 
stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, 
even to the children of Heth. And he communed with 
them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my 
dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to 
Ephron the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave 
of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his 
field ; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it 
me, for a possession of a burying-place among you. 
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth. And 
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience 
of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the 
gate of his city, saying, Nay, my lord, hear me : the field 
give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee ; 
in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee : 
bury thy dead. And Abraham bowed down himself be- 
fore the people of the land. And he spake unto Ephron 
in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if 
thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me : I will give thee 
money for the field : take it of me, and I will bury my 
dead there. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying 

Gen. 23: 1-13. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 115 

unto him, My lord, hearken unto me : the land is worth 
four hundred shekels of silver ; what is that betwixt me 
and thee ? bury therefore thy dead. And Abraham 
hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed to 
Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of 
the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current 
money with the merchant. And the field of Ephron, 
which was in Machpela, which was before Mamre, the 
field and the cave which was therein, and all the trees 
that were in the field, that were in all the borders round 
about, were made sure unto Abraham for a posses- 
sion in the presence of the children of Heth, before 
all that went in at the gate of his city. 

And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the 
cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre ; the 
same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And the field, 
and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abra- 
ham for a possession of a burying-place, by the sons of 
Heth. 

§ And Abraham was old and well stricken in age : and 
the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And 
Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that 
ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand 
under my thigh i and I will make thee swear by .the 
Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that 
thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters 
of the Canaanites among whom I dwell : but thou shalt 
go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife 
unto my son Isaac. The Lord God of heaven, which 
took me from my father's house, and from the land of 
my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware 
unto me, saying. Unto thy seed will I give this land : he 
shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a 
wife unto my son from thence. 

And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his 
master, and departed ; and he arose, and went to Meso- 



Gen. 23: 14-'20. 24: 1-10. 



116 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



potamia, unto th.e city of Nahor. And he made his 
camels to kneel down without the city by a well of 
water, at the time of the evening, even the time that 
women go out to draw water. 

And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I 
pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kind- 
ness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here 
by the well of water ; and the daughters of the men of 
the city come out to draw water : and let it come to 
pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy 
pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say. 
Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also : let the 
same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant 
Isaac ; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed 
kindness unto my master. 

And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, 
that behold, Rebekah came out, with her pitcher upon 
her shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look 
upon, and she went down to the well, and filled her 
pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, 
and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy 
pitcher. And she said. Drink, my lord : and she hasted, 
and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him 
drink. And when she had done giving him drink, she 
said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they 
have done drinking. And she hasted, and emptied her 
pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to 
draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man, 
wondering at her, held his peace, to wit whether the 
Lord had made his journey prosperous, or not. 

And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, 
that the man took a golden ear-ring, of half a shekel 
weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels 
weight of gold, and said. Whose daughter art thou ? 
And she said unto him, I am the daugTiter of Bethuel. 
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the 



Gen. 24: 11-24. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 117 



Loi'd. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my 
master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master 
of his mercy and his truth : I being in the way, the Lord 
led me to the house of my master's brethren. And the 
damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these 
things. 

And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban : 
and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well. And it 
came to pass, when he saw the ear-ring, and bracelets 
upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of 
Rebekah his sister, saying. Thus spake the man unto 
me ; that he came unto the man, and behold, he stood 
by the camels at the well. And he said, come in, thou 
blessed of the Lord, wherefore standest thou without ? 
for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels. 
And the man came into the house : and he ungirded his 
camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, 
and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were 
with him. And there was set meat before him to eat : 
but he said, I will not eat until I have told mine errand. 
And he said. Speak on. And he said, I am Abraham's 
servant. And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, 
and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, 
and herds, arid silver, and gold, and men-servants, and 
maid-servants, and camels, and asses. And Sarah, my 
master's wife, bare a son to my master when she was 
old : and unto him hath he given all that he hath. And 
my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take 
a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, 
in whose land I dwell: but thou shalt go unto my 
father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto 
my son. And I came this day unto the well, and said, 
O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do 
prosper my way which I go : behold, I stand by the well 
of water ; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin 
Cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her. Give me. 



Gen. 24 : 25-43. 



118 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink : and 
she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for 
thy camels : let the same be the woman whom the Lord 
hath appointed out for my master's son. 

Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and said, The 
thing proceedeth from the Lord : we cannot speak unto 
thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take 
her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the 
Lord hath spoken. And it came to pass, that when 
Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped 
the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. And the servant 
brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and 
raiment, and gave them to Rebekah. He gave also 
to her brother and to her mother precious things. 

And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were 
with him, and tarried all night ; and they rose up in the 
morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master. 
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel 
abide with us a few days, at the least ten ; after that she 
shall go. And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing 
the Lord hath prospered my way : send me away, that 
I may go to my master. And they said. We will call 
the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. And they called 
Rebekah, and said unto her. Wilt thou go with this man? 
And she said, I will go. And they sent away Rebekah 
their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and 
his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her. 
Thou art our sister; be thou the mother of thousands of 
millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which 
hate them. 

And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode 
upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant 
took Rebekah, and went his way. 

And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi ; 
for he dwelt in the south country. 

And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the 



Gen 24 : 44-63. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 119 

even-tide : and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and be- 
hold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lifted up 
her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she lighted off the 
camel. For she had said unto her servant, What man 
is this that cometh in the field to meet us, and the servant 
had said. It is my master : therefore she took a vail and 
covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all things 
that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his 
mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became 
his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted 
after his mother's death. 

And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. And 
these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which 
he lived, a hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then 
Ab]-aham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, 
an old man, and full of years ; and was gathered to his 
people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in 
the cave at Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of 
Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre ; the field 
which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth : there 
was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. 

And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that 
God blessed his son Isaac ; and Isaac dwelt by the well 
Lahai-roi. 



LIFE OF JACOB. 

And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's 
son : Abraham begat Isaac : and Isaac was forty years 
old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of 
Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram. 

And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord 
said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and the 
elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to 
be- delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins. 

Gen 24 : 63-67—25 : 5--24 



120 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And the boys grew : and Esau was a cunning hunter, 
a man of the field ; and Jacob was a plain man dwelling 
in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of 
his venison : but Rebekah loved Jacob. 

And Jacob sod pottage : and Esau came from the 
field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed 
me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage ; for I am 
faint : therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob 
said. Sell me this day thy birthright, and Esau said. 
Behold, I am at the point to die : and what profit shall 
this birthright do to me ? And Jacob said, Swear to 
me this day ; and he sware unto him : and he sold his 
birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread 
and pottage of lentiles ; and he did eat and drink, and 
rose up, and went his way : thus Esau despised his birth- 
right. 

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Be- 
hold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, 
saying. Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, 
that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord, before my 
death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice, accord- 
ing to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, 
and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats, 
and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such 
as he loveth. And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that 
he may eat, and that he may bless thee, before his death. 
And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his 
mother, and his mother made savoury meat, such as his 
father loved. And she gave the savoury meat, and the 
bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son 
Jacob. And he came unto his father. And he said. 
Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, 
that my soul may bless thee : and he brought it near to 
him, and he did eat : and he brought him wine, and he 
drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near 
now, and kiss me, my son. And he came near, and 



Gen. 25 : 27-34—27 : 6-32. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 121 

kissed him : and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and 
blessed him, and said, God give thee of the dew of hea- 
ven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and 
wine : let people serve thee, and nations bow down to 
thee ; be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's 
sons bow down to thee : cursed be every one that 
curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. 

And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an 
end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone 
out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his 
brother came in. And he also had made savoury meat, 
and brought it unto his father ; and said unto his father, 
Let my father arise, and eat 'of his son's venison, that 
thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto 
him, Who art thou ? And he said, I am thy son, thy 
first-born, Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, 
and said. Who ? where is he that hath taken venison, 
and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou 
camest, and have blessed him ? yea, and he shall be 
blessed. 

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he 
cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said 
unto his father. Bless me, even me also, O my father ! 
And he said. Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath 
taken away thy blessing. And he said. Is not he rightly 
named Jacob ? for he hath supplanted me these two 
times : he took away my birth-right ; and behold, now 
he hath taken away my blessing. And he said. Hast 
thou not reserved a blessing for me ? 

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I 
have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I 
given to him for servants ; and with corn and wine have I 
sustained him : and what shall I do now unto thee, my son ? 

And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one 
blessing, my father ? bless me, even me also, O my 
father ! And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. 



Gen. 27 : 32-44. 



122 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And Isaac his father answered, and said unto him, 
Behold, thy dwelUng shall be the fatness of the earth, 
and of the dew of heaven from above ; and by thy 
sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother : and 
it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion, 
that thou shalt break his yoke from oifthy neck. 

And Esau hated Jacob, because of the blessing where- 
with his father blessed him : and Esau said in his heart, 
The days of mourning for my father are at hand ; then 
will J slay my brother Jacob. And these words of 
Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah : and she sent 
and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, 
Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth com- 
fort himself, purposing to kill thee. Now therefore, my 
son, obey my voice ; and arise, flee thou to Laban my 
brother, to Haran ; and tarry with him a few days, until 
thy brother's fury turn away ; Until thy brother's anger 
turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou 
hast done to him, then I will send and fetch thee from 
thence. Why should I be deprived also of you both in 
one day? 

And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life, 
because of the daughters of Heth : If Jacob take a wife 
of the daughters of Heth : such as these which are of the 
daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me ? 

And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged 
him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of 
the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan-aram, to 
the house of Bethuel thy mother's father, and take thee 
a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy moth- 
er's brother. And God Almighty bless thee and make 
thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a 
multitude of people : and give thee the blessing of Abra- 
ham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou 
mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a strangei*, 
which God gave unto Abraham. And Isaac sent away 



Gen. 27 : 42-46— -28 : 1--12. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 123 



Jacob : and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of 
Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and 
Esau's mother. 

§ And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went 
toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, 
and tarried there all night, because the sun was set: 
and he took of the stones of that place, and put them 
for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 
And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set upon the 
earth,' and the top of it reached to heaven : and behold, 
the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And 
behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord 
God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac : the 
land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy 
seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth ; 
and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the 
east, and to the north, and to the south : and in thee and 
in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 
And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all 
places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into 
this land : for I will not leave thee, until I have done 
that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked 
out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this 
place ; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, 
How dreadful is this place ! this is none other but the 
house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And 
Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone 
that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, 
and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the 
name of that place Beth-el : but the name of that city 
was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, 
saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this 
way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and rai- 
ment to put on. So that I come again to my father's 
house in peace ; then shall the Lord be my God : and 
this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's 



Gen. 2S : 12-.2-2— 29 : 1-5. 



124 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



house : and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely 
give the tenth unto thee. 

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the 
land of the people of the east. And he looked, and be- 
hold, a well in .the field, and lo, there were three flocks 
of sheep lying by it ; for out of that well they watered 
the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. 
And thither were all the flocks gathered : and they rolled 
the stone from the well's mouth and watered the sheep, 
and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his 
place. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence 
be ye ? And they said, Of Haran are we. And he said 
unto them. Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And 
they said. We know him. And he said unto them, Is he 
well ? And they said, He is well : and behold, Rachel 
his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, 
Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle 
should be gathered together : water' ye the sheep, and 
go and feed them. And they said, We cannot, until all 
the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the 
stone from the well's mouth ; then we water the 
sheep. 

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with 
her father's sheep : for she kept them. And it came to 
pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban 
his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his moth- 
er's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone 
from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban 
his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and 
lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel 
that he was her father's brother, and that he was Re- 
bekah's son ; and she ran and told her father. And it 
came to pass when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob 
his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced 
him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And 
he told Laban all these things, And La'Ban said to him. 



Gen. 28 : 22—29 : 1-13. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 125 



Surely thou art my bone and my flesh : and he abode 
with him the space of a month. 

§ And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art m.y 
brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought ? 
tell me, what shall thy wages be ? And Laban had two 
daughters : the name of the elder was Leah, and the 
name of the younger was Rachel. And Jacob loved 
Rachel ; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Ra- 
chel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is bet- 
ter that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to 
another man : abide with me. And Jacob served seven 
years for Rachel ; and they seemed unto him but a few 
days, for the love he had to her. 

And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, 
that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may 
go unto mine own place, ai>d to my country. And 
Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour 
in thine eyes, tarry : for I have learned by experience, 
that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake. And he 
said. Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. And he 
said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, 
and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little 
which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased 
unto a multitude ; and the Lord hath blessed thee since 
my coming : and now, when shall I provide for mine 
own house also ? 

And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, 
Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's ; and of 
that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. 
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, be- 
hold, it was not toward him as before. 

And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land 
of thy fathers, and to thy kindred ; and I will be with 
thee. And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to 
the field unto his flock. And said unto them, I see your 
father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before : 



Gen. 29 : 14—30 : 25-30—31 : 1-5. 



126 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



but the God of my father hath been with me. And ye 
know, that with all my power I have served yom' father. 
And your father hath deceived me, and changed my 
wages ten times : but God suffered him not to hurt me. 
And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, 
Jacob: And I said, Here am I. I am the God of 
Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where 
thou vowedst a vow unto me : now arise, get thee out 
from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. 
And Rachel and Leah answered, and said unto him. Is 
there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's 
house ? now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do. 

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives 
upon camels ; and he carried away all his cattle, and all 
his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, 
which he had gotten in Padan-aram ; for to go to Isaac 
his father in the land of Canaan. And it was told 
Laban on the third day, that Jacob was fled. And he 
took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven 
days' journey: and they overtook him in the mount 
Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou 
done,, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and 
carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the 
sword ? Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and 
steal away from me, and didst not tell me, that 1 might 
have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with 
tabret, and with harp ? 

And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban : and 
Jacob answered, and said to Laban, What is my tres- 
pass ? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued 
after me? Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff", 
what hast thou found of all thy household-stuff"? set it 
here before my brethren, and thy brethren, that they 
may judge betwixt us both. This twenty years have 
I been with thee ; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not 
cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not 



Gen. 31 : 5-38. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 127 



eaten. That which was torn of beasts, I brought not 
unto thee ; I bare the loss of it : of my hand didst thou 
require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 
Thus I was ; in the day the drought consumed me, and 
the frost by night, and my sleep departed from mine 
eyes. Thus have I been twenty years in thy house : I 
served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and 
six years for thy cattle ; and thou hast changed my wages 
ten times : Except the God of my father, the God of 
Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, 
surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath 
seen mine affliction, and the labour of my hands, and re- 
buked thee yesternight. 

And Laban answered, and said unto Jacob, These 
daughters are my daughters, and these children are my 
children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou 
seest is mine ; and what can I do this day unto these my 
daughters, or unto their children which they have borne ? 
Now therefore come thou, let us make a (5byenant, I and 
thou-; and let it be for a witness between rfie and thee. 

And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And 
Laban said. This heap is a witness between me and thee 
this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed ; 
And Mizpah : for he said. The Lord watch between me 
and thee, when we are absent one from another. This 
heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not 
pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass 
over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. The 
God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their 
father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the Fear 
of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon 
the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread : and they 
did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. And 
early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons 
and his daughters, and blessed them : and Laban departed, 
and returned unto his place. 



Gen. 31 



128 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God 
met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is 
God's host : and he called the name of that place Maha- 
naim. 

And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his 
brother, unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 
And he commanded them, saying. Thus shall ye speak 
unto my lord Esau ; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have 
sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now : And 
I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and men-servants, and 
women-servants : and I have sent to tell my lord, that I 
may find grace in thy sight. 

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying. We 
came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet 
thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was 
greatly afraid, and distressed : and he divided the people 
that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the 
camels, into two bands ; and said. If Esau come to the 
one company^iind smite it, then the other company which 
is left shall escape. 

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and 
God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, 
Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will 
deal well with thee ; I am not worthy of the least of all 
the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed 
unto servant : for with my staff" I passed over this Jor- 
dan, and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I 
pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand 
of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, 
and the mother with the children. And thou saidst, I 
will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand 
of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. 

And he lodged there that same night ; and took of that 
which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother ; 
two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred 
ewes and twenty rams, thirty milch camels, with their 



Gen. 32: 1-13. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 129 



colts, forty kine and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten 
foals. And he delivered them into the hands of his ser- 
vants, every drove by themselves ; and said unto his ser- 
vants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove 
and drove. And he commanded the foremost, saying, 
When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, 
saying, Whose art thou ? and whither goest thou ? and 
whose are these before thee ? Then thou shalt say, They 
be thy servant Jacob's ; it is a present sent unto my lord 
Esau; and, behold also he is behind us. And so com- 
manded he the second, and the third, and all that followed 
the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto 
Esau, when ye find him. And say ye moreover. Behold, 
thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will ap- 
pease him with the present that goeth before me, and 
afterward I will see his face ; peradventure he will accept 
of me. So went the present over before him ; and him- 
self lodged that night in the company. And he rose up 
that night, and took his two wives, and his two women- 
servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford 
Jabbok. And he took them, and sent them over the 
brook, and sent over that he had. 

And Jacob was left alone ; and there wrestled a man 
with him until the breaking of the day. And when he 
saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the 
hollow of his thigh ; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh 
was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he 
said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I 
will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said 
unto him, What is thy name ? And he said, Jacob. 
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, 
but Israel : for as a prince hast thou power with God 
and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked 
him, and said. Tell me, I pray thee, thy name? And he 
said. Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name ? 
And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name 



Gen. 32 : 15-30. 



130 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



of the place Peniel : for I have seen God face to face, 
and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Pe- 
nuel, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his 
thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the 
sinew^ which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the 
thigh, unto this day ; because he touched the hollow of 
Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank. 

And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, 
Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he 
divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and 
unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids 
and their children foremost, and Leah and her children 
after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. And he 
passed over before them, and , bowed himself to the 
ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 

And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and 
fell on his neck, and kissed him : and they wept. And 
he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women, and the chil- 
dren, and said, Who are those with thee ? And he said, 
The children which God hath graciously given thy ser- 
vant. Then the handmaidens came near, they and their 
children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also 
with her children came near, and bowed themselves : 
and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bow- 
ed themselves. And he said. What meanest thou by all 
this drove which I met ? And he said, These are to find 
grace in the sight of my lord. And Esau said, I have 
enough, my brother ; keep that thou hast unto thyself. 
And Jacob said. Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found 
grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: 
for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen 
the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take, 
I pray thee, my blessing, that is brought to thee ; be- 
cause God hath dealt graciously with me, and because 
I have enough : and he urged him, and he took it. 

And he said. Let us take our journey, and let us go. 



-32—33 : 1-1-2- 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 131 

and I will go before thee. And he said unto him, My 
lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks 
and herds with young are with me ; and if men should 
overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. Let my 
lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant; and I 
will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth 
before me, and the children be able to endure, until I 
come unto my lord unto Seir. And Esau said. Let me 
now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. 
And he said, What needeth it ? let me find grace in the 
sight of my lord. So Esau returned ' that day on his 
wiay unto Seir. 

And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him a 
house, and made booths for his cattle : therefore the 
name of the place is called Succoth. 

And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which 
is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan- 
aram, and pitched his tent before the city. And he 
bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, 
at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, 
for a hundred pieces of money. And he erected there 
an altar, and called it El-elohe Israel. 

§ And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, 
and dwell there : and make there an altar unto God, 
that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the 
face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his 
household, and to all that were with him. Put away the 
strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and 
change your garments : And let us arise, and go up to 
Beth-el ; and I will make there an altar unto God, who 
answered me in the day of my distress, and was with 
me in the way which I went. And they gave unto 
Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, 
and all their ear-rings which were in their ears ; and 
Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 
And they journeyed : and the terror of God was upon 



Gen. 33 : 13-20—35 : 1--5. 



132 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



the cities that were round about them, and they did not 
pursue after the sons of Jacob. 

So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan 
(that is Beth-el) he and all the people that were with 
him. And he built there an altar, and called the place 
El-beth-el ; because there God appeared unto him, when 
he fled from the face of his brother. 

And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came 
out of Padan-aram ; and blessed him. And God said 
unto him, Thy name is Jacob : thy name shall not be 
called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name ; 
and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, 
I am God Almighty : be fruitful and multiply ; a nation 
and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings 
shall come out of thy loins. And the land which I gave 
Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy 
seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up 
from him, in the place where he talked with him. And 
Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with 
him, even a pillar of stone : and he poured a drink-ofter- 
ing thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob 
called the name of the place where God spake with him, 
Beth-el. 

And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Eph- 
rath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon 
her grave : that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto 
this day. 

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, 
unto the city of Arbah, (which is Hebron,) where Abra- 
ham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were 
a hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the 
ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being 
old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob bu- 
ried him. 

And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his dausrh- 
ters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and 



Gen. 35 : 6-29. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 133 



all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in 
the land of Canaan ; and went into the country from the 
face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more 
than that they might dwell together ; and the land 
wherein they were strangers could not bear them, be- 
cause of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir : 
Esau is Edom. 

§ And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was 
a stranger, in the land of Canaan. And famine was 
over all the face of the earth : and all countries came 
into Egypt to buy corn ; because that the famine was 
so sore in all lands. 

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, 
Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon an- 
other ? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is 
corn in Egypt : get you down thither, and buy for us 
from thence ; that we may live, and not die. And 
Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. 

And they laded their asses with the corn, and depart- 
ed thence. And they came unto Jacob their father unto 
the land of Canaan, and told him all that befel them, say- 
ing, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the 
land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he be- 
lieved them not. And they told him all the words of 
Joseph, which he had said unto them : and when he saw 
the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the 
spirit of Jacob their father revived. And Israel said. It 
is enough ; Joseph my son is yet alive : I will go and 
see him before I die. 

And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and 
came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God 
of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the 
visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob ! And he 
said. Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of 
thy father : fear not to go down into Egypt ; for I will 
there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with 

Gen. 36 : 6-8—37 : 1—41 : 56—42 : l-3-'i6-29— 45 : 25-28—46 : 1-4. 



134 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



thee into Egypt : and I will also surely bring thee up 
again : and Joseph shall put his hands upon thine eyes. 

And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba ; and the sons of 
Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, 
and their wives, in the waggons which Pharaoh had 
sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their 
goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and 
came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him : His 
sons and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his 
son's daughters, and all his seed, brought he with him 
into Egypt. 

And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him 
before Pharaoh : and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And 
Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And 
Jacob said unto Pharaoh, the days of the years of my 
pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years : few and 
evil have the days of the years of my life been, and 
have not attained unto the days of the years of the life 
of my fathers, in the days of their pilgrimage. And Ja- 
cob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. 

And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: 
so the whole age of Jacob was a hundred forty and seven 
years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die : 
and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now 
I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy 
hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with 
me ; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt : but I will lie 
with my fathers ; and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, 
and bury me in their burying-place : and he said, I will 
do as thou hast said. And he said. Swear unto me. 
And he swear unto him. And Israel bowed himself 
upon the bed's head. 

And it came to pass, after these things, that one told 
Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick : and he took with him 
his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told 
Jacob, and said. Behold, thy son Joseph come^th unto 



Gen. 46: 5-7—47 :7-ll. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 135 



thee : and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the 
bed. And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to 
see thy face ; and, lo, God hath showed me also thy 
seed. And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before 
whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God 
which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel 
which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads ; and let 
my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers 
Abraham and Isaac ; and let them grow into a multi- 
tude in the midst of the earth. And he blessed them 
that day, saying. In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God 
make thee as Ephraim, and as Manasseh : and he set 
Ephraim before Manasseh. 

And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die ; but God 
shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of 
your fathers. Moreover, I have given to thee one por- 
tion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand 
of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. 

§ And Jacob called unto his sons, and said. Gather 
yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall 
befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, 
and hear, ye sons of Jacob ; and hearken unto Israel 
your father. Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, 
and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of 
dignity, and the excellency of power : unstable as w^ater, 
thou shalt not excel ; because thou wentest up to thy 
father's bed ; then defiledst thou it : he went up to my 
couch. 

Simeon and Levi are brethren ; instruments of cruelty 
are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into 
their secret ; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not 
thou united : for in their anger they slew a man, and in 
their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their 
anger, for it was fierce ; and their wrath, for it was cruel : 
I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. 

Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise ; 



Gen, 48: 1-22—49 : 1- 



136 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies : thy fa- 
ther's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a 
lion's whelp ; from the prey, my son, thou art all gone 
up : he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an 
old lion ; who shall rouse him up ? The sceptre shall not 
depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, 
until Shiloh come ; and unto him shall the gathering of 
the people be : binding his foal unto the vine, and his 
ass's colt unto the choice vine ; he washed his garments 
in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes : his eyes 
shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. 

Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he 
shall be for a haven of ships ; and his border shall be 
unto Zidon. 

Issachar is a strong ass, couching down between two 
burdens : and he saw that rest was good, and the land 
that it was pleasant ; and bowed his shoulder to bear, 
and became a servant unto tribute. 

Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Is- 
rael. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in 
the path, that biteth the horse-heels, so that his rider shall 
fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord ! 

Gad, a troop shall overcome him ; but he shall over- 
come at the last. Out of Ashei* his bread shall be fat, 
and he shall yield royal dainties. 

Naphtali is a hind let loose ; he giveth goodly words. 

Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a 
well, whose branches run over the wall. The archers 
have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him : 
but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands 
were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of 
Jacob : (from thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Is- 
rael :) even by the God of thy father, who shall help 
thee ; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with 
blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that 
lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb : 



Gen. 49 : 8-25. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 137 



the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the bless- 
ings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the 
everlasting hills ; they shall be on the head of Joseph, 
and on the crov^^n of the head of him that was separate 
from his brethren. 

Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall 
devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. 

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel ; and this is it 
that their father spake unto them, and blessed them ; 
every one according to his blessing he blessed them. 
And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be 
gathered unto my people : bury me with my fathers in 
the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in 
the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is be- 
fore Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham 
bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite, for a pos- 
session of a burying-place. (There they buried Abra- 
ham and Sarah his wife ; there they buried Isaac and 
Rebekah his wife ; and there I buried Leah.) The pur- 
chase of the field, and of the cave that is therein, was 
from the children of Heth. And when Jacob had made 
an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet 
into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered 
unto his people. 

And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon 
him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his ser- 
vants the physicians to embalm his father : and the phy- 
sicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled 
for him ; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are 
embalmed ; and the Egyptians mourned for him three- 
score and ten days. 

And Joseph went up to bury his father ; and with him 
went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his 
house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the 
house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house : 
only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, 

Gen. 49 : 25-33—60 : 1-8. 



138 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with 
him both chariots and horsemen ; and it was a very great 
company. And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, 
which is beyond Jordan ; and there they mom-ned with 
a great and very sore lamentation : and he made a 
mom-ning for his father seven days. And when the in- 
habitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning 
in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourn- 
ing to the Egyptians : wherefore the name of it was 
called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. And his 
sons did unto him according as he commanded them : for 
his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried 
him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abra- 
ham bought with the field, for a possession of a burying- 
place. 



LIFE OF JOSEPH. 

Rachel bare a son and called his name Joseph. Joseph, 
being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his 
brethren ; and the lad brought unto his father their evil 
report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his chil- 
dren, because he was the son of his old age : and he 
made him a coat of many colours. And when his breth- 
ren saw that their father loved him more than all his 
brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably 
unto him. 

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his breth- 
ren : and they hated him yet the more. And he said 
unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have 
dreamed : for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the 
field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright ; and, 
behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obei- 
sance to my sheaf And his brethren said unto him, 
Shalt thou indeed reign over us ? or shalt thou indeed 



: 23-24—37 : 2-8—50 : 9-13. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 139 



have dominion over us ? And they hated him yet the 
more for his dreams, and for his words. 

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his 
brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more ; 
and, behold, the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars, 
made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and 
to his brethren ; and his father rebuked him, and said 
unto him. What is this dream that thou hast dreamed ? 
Shall I, and thy mother, and thy brethren, indeed come 
to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth ? And his 
brethren envied him ; but his father observed the saying. 

And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in 
Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy 
brethren feed the flock in Shechem ? come, and I will 
send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. 
And he said to him. Go, I pray thee, see whether it be 
well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks ; and 
bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of 
Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man 
found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field : 
and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou ? And 
he said, I seek my brethren : tell me, I pray thee, where 
they feed their flocks. And the man said. They are de- 
parted hence : for I heard them say. Let us go to Dothan. 
And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in 
Dothan. 

And when they saw him afar oflf, even before he came 
near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 
And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer com- 
eth. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast 
him into some pit ; and we will say. Some evil beast hath 
devoured him : and we shall see what will become of his 
dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out 
of their hands ; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reu- 
ben said unto them. Shed no blood, but cast him into this 
pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him ; 



Gen. 37 : 8-22. 



140 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



that he might rid him out of their hands, to deUver him 
to his father again. 

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his 
brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his 
coat of many colours, that was on him ; and they took 
him, and cast him into a pit : and the pit was empty, 
there was no water in it. And . they sat down to eat 
bread : and they Hfted up their eyes and looked, and, be- 
hold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with 
their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh, going 
to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his 
brethren. What profit is it if we slay our brother, and 
conceal his blood ? Come, and let us sell him to the Ish- 
maelites, and let not our hand be upon him ; for he is our 
brother, and our flesh : and his brethren were content. 
Then there passed by Midianites, merchant-men ; and 
they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold 
Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver : 
and they brought Joseph into Egypt. 

And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Jo- 
seph was not in the pit : and he rent his clothes. And 
he returned unto his brethren, and said. The child isnot; 
and I, whither shall I go ? And they took Joseph's coat, 
and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the 
blood : and they sent the coat of many colours, and they 
brought it to their father ; and said. This have we found : 
know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. And he 
knew it, and said. It is my son's coat ; an evil beast hath 
devoured him : Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. 
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his 
loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his 
sons, and all his daughters, rose up to comfort him ; but 
he refused to be comforted : and he said. For I will go 
down into the grave unto my son mourning. Then his 
father wept for him. 

§ And Joseph was brought down to Egypt ; and Poti- 

Gen. 37 : i25-36. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 141 



phar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an 
Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, 
which had brought him down thither. And the Lord 
was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man ; and he 
was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his 
master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the 
Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And 
Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him : and 
he made him overseer over his house, and all that he 
had he put into his hand. And it came to pass, from the 
time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all 
that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for 
Joseph's sake ; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all 
that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all 
that he had in Joseph's hand : and he knew not aught he 
had, save the bread which he did eat : and Joseph was a 
goodly person, and well-favoured. 

And it came to pass, after these things, that his mas- 
ter's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie 
with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, 
Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the 
house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my 
hand ; there is none greater in this house than I ; neither 
hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because 
thou art his wife : how then can I do this great wicked- 
ness, and sin against God ? And it came to pass, as she 
spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto 
her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to 
pass, about this time, that Joseph went into the house to 
do his business ; and there was none of the men of the 
house there within. And she caught him by his garment, 
saying. Lie with me : and he left his garment in her hand, 
and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when 
she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and 
was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house, 
and spake unto them, saying. See, he hath brought in a 



Gen. 39 : 2-14. 



142 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Hebrew unto us to mock us ; he came in unto me to lie 
with me, and I cried with a loud voice : and it came to 
pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, 
that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him 
out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord 
came home. And she spake unto him according to these 
w^ords, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast 
brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me : and it 
came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he 
left his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to 
pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which 
she spake unto him, saying. After this manner did thy 
servant to me ; that his wrath was kindled. And Jo- 
seph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a 
place where the king's prisoners were bound : and he 
was there in the prison. 

But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, 
and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the 
prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Jo- 
seph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison ; 
and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 
The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that 
was under his hand ; because the Lord was with him ; 
and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper. 

§ And it came to pass after these things, that the but- 
ler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their 
lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against 
two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and 
against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in 
ward in the house of the. captain of the guard, into the 
prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the 
captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he 
served them ; and they continued a season in ward. 

And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man 
his dream in one night, each man according to the inter- 
pretation of his dream ; the butler and the baker of the 

Gen. 39 : 15-23—40 : 1--5. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 143 

king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And 
Joseph came in unto them, in the morning, and looked 
upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked 
Pharaoh's officers, that were with him in the ward of his 
lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day? 
And they said unto him. We have dreamed a dream, and 
there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them. 
Do not interpretations belong to God ? tell me them, I 
pray you. And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, 
and said unto him, In my dream, behold, a vine was be- 
fore me ; and in the vine were three branches ; and it 
was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth ; 
and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: and 
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand : and I took the grapes, 
and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup 
into Pharaoh's hand. And Joseph said unto him, This is 
the interpretation of it : The three branches are three 
days : yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy 
head, and restore thee unto thy place ; and thou shalt de- 
liver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former man- 
ner when thou wast his butler. But think on me when 
it shall be w^ell with thee, and shew kindness, I pray t^ee, 
unto me ; and make mention of me unto Pha.raoh, and 
bring me out of this house : for indeed I was stolen away 
out of the land of the Hebrews ; and here also have I 
done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. 
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation w^as 
good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, 
behold, I had three white baskets on my head : and in 
the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bake- 
meats for Pharaoh ; and the birds did eat them out of the 
basket upon my head. And Joseph answered and said, 
This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are 
three days : yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up 
thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree : 
and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. 



Gen. 40 : 6-19. 



144 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And it came to pass the third day, which was Phara- 
oh's birth-day, that he made a feast unto all his servants: 
and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the 
chief baker among his servants. And he restored the 
chief butler unto his butlership again ; and he gave the 
cup into Pharaoh's hand : but he hanged the chief baker, 
as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the 
chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him. 

§ And it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that 
Pharaoh dreamed : and, behold, he stood by the river. 
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well- 
favoured kine and fat-fleshed ; and they fed in a meadow. 
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of 
the river, ill-favoured and lean-fleshed ; and stood by the 
other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill- 
favoured and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well- 
favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he 
slept and dreamed the second time : and, behold, seven 
ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 
And, behold, seven thin ears, and blasted with the east 
wind, sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears 
devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh 
awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass 
in the morning, that his spirit was troubled ; and he sent 
and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise 
men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dreams ; but 
there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. 

Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I 
do remember my faults this day : Pharaoh was wroth 
with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the 
guard's house, both me, and the chief baker : and we 
dreamed a dream in one night, I and he : we dreamed 
each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 
And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, 
servant to the captain of the guard ; and we told him, 
and he interpreted to us our dreams ; to each man ac- 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 145 



cording to his dream he did interpret. And it came to 
-pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was : me he restored 
unto mine office, and him he hanged. 

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they 
brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved 
himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pha- 
raoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed 
a dream, and there is none that can interpret it : and I 
have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a 
dream to interpret it. And Joseph ansv^^ered Pharaoh, 
saying. It is not in me : God shall give Pharaoh an ans- 
wer of peace. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my 
dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river : And, 
behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat- 
fleshed, and well-favoured ; and they fed in a meadow : 
and, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor, 
and very ill-favoured, and lean-fleshed, such as I never 
saw in all the land of Egypt for badness : and the lean 
and the ill-favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat 
kine : and when they had eaten them up, it could not 
be known that they had eaten them ; but they were still 
ill-favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I 
saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in 
one stalk, full and good : and, behold, seven ears, with- 
ered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up 
after them : and the thin ears devoured the seven good 
ears : and I told this unto the magicians ; but there was 
none that could declare it to me. 

And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pha- 
raoh is one : God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about 
to do. The seven good kine are seven years ; and the 
seven good ears are seven years : the dream is one. 
And the seven thin and ill-favoured kine, that came up 
after them, are seven years ; and the seven empty ears, 
blasted with the east wind, shall be seven years of fam- 
ine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pha- 

Gen. 41 : 13-28. 



146 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



raoh : What God is about to do he showeth unto- Pha- 
raoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty 
throughout all -the land of Egypt : and there shall arise 
after them seven years of famine ; and all the plenty 
shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt ; and the famine 
shall consume the land ; and the plenty shall not be 
known in the land by reason of that famine follow^ing ; 
for it shall be very grievous. And for that the dream was 
doubled unto Pharaoh twice ; it is because the thing is 
established by God, and God will shortly bring it to 
pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man dis- 
creet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 
Let Pharaoh d^ this, and let him appoint officers over 
the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt 
in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather jail 
the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn 
under the hand of Pharaoh ; and let them keep food in 
the cities. "And that food shall be for store to the land 
against the seven years of famine, which- shall be in the 
land of Egypt ; that the land perish not through the 
famine. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pha- 
raoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 

§ And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find 
such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God 
is ? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God 
hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and 
wise as thou art: thou shalt be over my house, and ac- 
cording unto thy word shall all my people be ruled : 
only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And 
Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all 
the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took oflf his ring from 
his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him 
in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his 
neck. And he made him to ride in the second chariot 
which he had ; and they cried before him, Bow the 
knee : and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. 



Gen. 41 : 28-43. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 147 



And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and with- 
out thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the 
land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name 
Zaphnath-paaneah ; and he gave him to wife Asenath, 
the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph 
went out over all the land of Egypt. 

And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before 
Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the 
presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land 
of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years the earth 
brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all 
the food of the seven years, which were in the land of 
Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities : the food of 
the field, which was round about every city, laid he 
up in the same. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand 
of the sea, very much, until he left numbering ; for it was 
without number. 

And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in 
the land of Egypt were ended. And the seven years 
of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said : 
and the dearth was in all lands ; but in all the land of 
Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of 
Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for 
bread : and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto 
Joseph ; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was 
over all the face of the earth : and Joseph opened all the 
store-houses, and sold unto the Egyptians ; and the famine 
waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries 
came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn ; because 
that the famine was so sore in all lands. 

§ Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, 
Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon an- 
other? And he said. Behold, I have heard that there is 
corn in Egypt ; get you down thither, and buy for us 
from thence ; that we may live, and not die. 

And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in 



Gen. 41 : 44-56—42 : 1-3. 



148 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not 
with his brethren : for he said, Lest peradventure mis- 
chief befall him. And the sons of Israel came to buy 
corn among those that came : for the famine was in the 
land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over 
the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the 
land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down 
themselves before him, with their faces to the earth. 
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but 
made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto 
them ; and he said unto them. Whence come ye ? and 
they said. From the land of Canaan to buy food. And 
Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And 
Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of 
them, and said unto them, Ye are spies ; to see the 
nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said unto 
him. Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants 
come. We are all one man's sons : we are true men ; 
thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them. Nay, 
but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And 
they said. Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons 
of one man in the land of Canaan : and, behold, the 
youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. 
And Joseph said unto them. That is it that I spake unto 
you, saying, Ye are spies : hereby ye shall be proved : 
By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, ex- 
cept your youngest brother come hither. Send one of 
you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept 
in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there 
be any truth in you : or else, by the life of Pharaoh, 
surely ye are spies. And he put them altogether into 
ward three days. And Joseph said unto them the third 
day. This do, and live ; for I fear God. If ye be true 
men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of 
your prison : go ye, carry corn for the famine of your 
houses : But bring your youngest brother unto me ; so 



Gen. 4-2 : 4-20. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 149 



shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And 
they did so. 

And they said one to another, We are verily guilty 
concerning our brother, in that we sav^ the anguish of 
his soul, w^hen he besought us, and we would not hear : 
therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben 
answered them, saying, S'pake I not unto you, saying. 
Do not sin against the child ; and ye would not hear ? 
therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they 
knew not that Joseph understood them ; for he spake 
unto them by an interpreter. And he turned himself 
about from them, and wept ; and returned to them again, 
and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, 
and bound him before their eyes. 

Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with cornv 
and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to 
give them provision for the way ; and thus did he unto 
them. And they laded their asses with corn, and de- 
parted thence. And as one of them opened his sack to 
give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money ; 
for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth. And he said 
unto his brethren. My money is restored ; and, lo, it is 
even in my sack : and their heart failed them, and they 
were afraid, saying one to another. What is this that 
God hath done unto us ? 

§ And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land 
of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them, say- 
ing. The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly 
to us, and took us for spies of the country. And we 
said unto him. We are true men ; we are no spies : we 
be twelve brethren, sons of our father ; one is not, and 
the youngest is this day with our father in the land of 
Canaan. And the man, the lord of the country, said 
unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men ; 
leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food 
for the famine of your households, and be gone : and 



Gen. 42 : 21-34. 



150 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



bring your youngest brother unto me ; then shall I know 
that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men : so will I 
deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land. 

And it came to pass, as they emptied their sacks, that, 
behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack ; 
and when both they and their father saw the bundles of 
money, they were afraid. And Jacob their father said 
unto them. Me, have»ye bereaved of my children: Jo- 
seph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benja- 
min away : all these things are against me. And Reu- 
ben spake unto his father, saying. Slay my two sons, if 
I bring him not to thee : deliver him into my hand, and 
I will bring him to thee again. And he said. My son 
shall not go down with you ; for his brother is dead, and 
he is left alone : if mischief befall him by the way in the 
which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs 
with sorrow to the grave. 

And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to 
pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had 
brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them. Go 
again, buy us a little food. 

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did sol- 
emnly protest unto us, saying. Ye shall not see my face, 
except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our 
brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food : 
but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down : for 
the man said unto us. Ye shall not see my face, except 
your brother be with you. 

And Israel said. Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as 
to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother ? And they 
said. The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our 
kindred, saying. Is your father yet alive ? have ye ano- 
ther brother ? and we told him according to the tenor of 
these words : could we certainly know that he would 
say. Bring your brother down ? And Judah said unto 
Israel his father. Send the lad with me, and we will arise 



Gen. 32 : 35-38—43 : 1- 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 151 



and go ; that we may live, and not die, both we, and 
thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him ; 
of my hand shalt thou require him : if I bring him not 
unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the 
blame for ever. 

§ And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so 
now, do this : take of the best fruits in the land in your 
vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, 
and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds : 
^m.d take double money in your hand ; and the money 
that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry 
it again in your hand ; peradventure it was an oversight. 
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the 
man : and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, 
that he may send away your other brother, and Benja- 
min. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. 

And the men took that present, and they took double 
money in their hand, and Benjamin, and rose up, and 
went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. And 
when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the 
ruler of his house. Bring these men home, and slay, and 
make ready : for these men shall dine with me at noon. 
And the man did as Joseph bade : and the man brought 
the men into Joseph's house. And gave them water, 
and they washed their feet : and he gave their asses 
provender. 

And when Joseph came home, they brought liim the 
present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed 
themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of 
their welfare, and said. Is your father well, the old man 
of whom ye spake ? Is he yet alive ? And they answered, 
Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive : 
and they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. 
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, 
his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, 
of whom ye spake unto me ? And he said, God be gra- 



Gen. 43 : 9-29. 



152 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



cious unto thee, my son. And* Joseph made haste ; for 
his bowels did yearn upon his brother ; and he sought 
where to weep : and he entered into his chamber, and 
wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and 
refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. And they set 
on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and 
for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by them- 
selves : because the Egyptians might not eat bread with 
the Hebrews ; for that is an abomination unto the Egyp- 
tians. And they sat before him, the first-born according 
to his birth-right, and the youngest according to his youth; 
and the men marvelled one at another. And he took 
and sent messes unto them from before him : but Benja- 
min's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And 
they drank and were merry with him. 

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying. 
Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, 
and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. And 
put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the 
youngest, and his corn money : and he did according to 
the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as the morn- 
ing was light, the i^en were sent away, they, and their 
asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and 
not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow 
after the men ; and when thou dost overtake them, say 
unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good ? 
Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby in- 
deed he divineth ? Ye have done evil in so doing. 

And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these 
same words. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith 
my lord these words ? God forbid that thy servants should 
do according to this thing : with whomsoever of thy ser- 
vants it be -found, both let him die, and we. also will be 
my lord's bondmen. And he said, Now also, let it be 
according unto your words ; he with whom it shall be 
found shall be my servant ; and ye shall be blameless. 



Gen. 44 : 1-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 153 



Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the 
ground, and opened every man his sack. And he search- 
ed, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest ; and 
the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent 
their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned 
to the city. 

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house ; 
(for he was yet there ;) and they fell before him on the 



ground. 



§ And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that 
ye have done ? wot ye not that such a man as I can cer- 
tainly divine ? And Judah said. What shall we say unto 
my lord ? what shall we speak ? or how shall we clear 
ourselves ? God hath found out the iniquity of thy ser- 
vants : behold we are my lord's servants, both we, and 
he also with whom the cup is found. And he said, God 
forbid that I should do so : but the man in whose hand 
the cup is found, he shall be my servant ; and as for you, 
get you up in peace unto your father. 

Then Judah came near unto him, and said, O my lord, 
let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's 
ears, xmd let not thine anger burn against thy servant : 
for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his ser- 
vants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother ? And we 
said unto my lord. We have a father, an old man, and a 
child of his old age, a little one : and his brother is dead, 
and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth 
him. And thou saidst unto thy servants. Bring him down 
unto, me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we 
said unto my lord. The lad cannot leave his father : for 
if he should leave his father, his father would die. And 
thou saidst unto thy servants. Except your youngest 
brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no 
more. 

And it came to pass, when we came up unto thy ser- 
vant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And 



Gen. 44: 10-24. 



154 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And 
we said, We cannot go down : if our youngest brother be 
with us, then will we go down ; for we may not see the 
man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. 
And thy servant my .father said unto us, Ye know that 
my wife bare me two sons : and the one went out from 
me, and I said, Surely he is torn~ in pieces ; and I saw 
him not since : and if ye take this also from me, and mis- 
chief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with 
sorrow to the grave. 

Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, 
and the lad be not with us ; (seeing that his life is bound 
up in the lad's life ;) it shall come to pass, when he seeth 
that the lad is not with us, that he will die : and thy ser- 
vants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our 
father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant be- 
came surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring 
him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my fa- 
ther for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy ser- 
vant abide instead of the lad a bond-man to my lord ; 
and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall 
I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me ? lest 
peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. 

§ Then Joseph could not refrain himself before' all 
them that stood by him ; and he cried, Cause every man 
to go out from me ; and there stood no man with him, 
while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 
And he wept aloud ; and the Egyptians and the house of 
Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I 
am Joseph ; doth my father yet live? And his brethren 
could not answer him ; for they were troubled at his 
presence. 

And Joseph said unto his brethren. Come near to me, 
I pray you : and they came near. And he said, I am 
Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now 
therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves that 

Gen. 44 : 25-34. 



HISTORICAL AND*BIOGRAPHICAL. 155 



ye sold me hither ; for God did send me before you to 
preserve hfe. For these two years hath the famine been 
in the land : and yet there are five years, in the which 
there shall neither be earing nor-harvest. And God sent 
me before you, to preserve you a posterity in the earth, 
and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now, 
it was not you that sent me hither, but God : and he hath 
made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, 
and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 

Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him. 
Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all 
Egypt ; come down unto me, tarry not : and thou shalt- 
dwell in the land of Goshen, and there will I nourish thee, 
lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come 
to poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes 
of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speak- 
eth unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my 
glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen : and ye 
shall haste, and bring down my father hither. And he 
fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept ; and 
Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover, he kissed all 
his brethren, and wept upon them : and after that his 
brethren talked with him. 

And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, 
saying, Joseph's brethren are come : and it pleased Pha- 
raoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto 
Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye ; lade your 
beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan ; and 
take your father, and your households, and come unto 
me : and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, 
and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Take you wagons 
out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your 
wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard 
not your stuflf: for the good of all the land of Egypt is 
yours. 

And the children of Israel did so ; and Joseph gave 



Gen. 45 : 1-5. 



150 SCRIPTURE ^IIOOL READER. 



them wagons, and provision for the way. To all of 
them he gave each man changes of raiment ; but to Ben- 
jamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five 
changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this 
manner ; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, 
and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and meat 
for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, 
and they departed : and he said unto them, See that ye 
fall not out by the way. 

§ And they came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob 
their father, and told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and 
he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's 
heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told 
him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto 
them : and when he saw the waggons, which Joseph had 
sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. 
And Israel said, It is enough ; Joseph my son is yet alive : 
I will go and see him before I die. 

And the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and 
their Httle ones, and their wives, in the wagons which 
Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their 
cattle, and their goods which they had gotten in the land 
of Canaan, and came into Egypt. 

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to 
meet Israel his father to Goshen ; and presented himself 
unto him : and he fell on his neck, and wept on his 
neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now 
let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art 
yet alive. 

And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father 
and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of 
Egypt is before thee ; in the best of the land make thy 
father and brethren to dwell ; in the land of Goshen let 
them dwell ; and if thou knowest any men of activity 
among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. 

And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and 



Gen. 45 : 6-29—46 : 1-7-29-30—47 : 5-7. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 157 



gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the 
best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had 
commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his 
brethren, and all his father's household, with bread ac- 
cording to their families. 

§ And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country 
of Goshen ; and they had possessions therein, and grew, 
and multiplied exceedingly. 

And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die ; but God 
shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of 
your fathers. And when Jacob had made an end of com- 
manding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and 
yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. 

And Joseph went up to bury his father : and with him 
went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his 
house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. 

And Joseph returned into Egypt, he and his brethren, 
and all that went up with him to bury his father, after 
he had buried his father. 

And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was 
dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and 
will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto 
him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, 
Thy father did comipand before he died, saying, So shall 
ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the tres- 
pass of thy brethren, and their sin ; for they did unto thee 
evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the 
servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept 
when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went 
and fell down before his face : and they said. Behold, we 
be thy servants. 

And Joseph said unto them, Fear not : for am I in the 
place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against 
me ; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it 
is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore 
fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. 



Gen. 47 : 27—48 : 21-33—50 : 7, 14-26. 



158 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. 

And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house : 
and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. And Joseph 
saw Ephraim's children, of the third generation: the 
children also" of JVEachir, the son of Manasseh, w^ere 
brought up upon Joseph's knees. 

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die ; and God 
will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land, unto 
the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to 
Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of 
Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall 
carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being 
a hundred and ten years old : and they embalmed him, 
and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JOB. 

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was 
Job ; and that man was perfect, and upright, and one 
that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were 
born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His sub- 
stance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thou- 
sand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five 
hundred she-asses, and a very great household ; so that 
this man was the greatest of all the men of the East. 

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every 
one his day, and sent and called for their three sisters to 
eat and to drink with them. And it was so when the 
days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and 
sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and 
offered burnt offerings according to the number of them 
all ; for Job said it may be that my sons have sinned, and 
cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. 

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Doth Job 
fear God for naught ? Hast thou not made a hedge about 

- Job : 1-22. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 159 



him and about his house, and about all that he hath on 
every side ? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and 
his substance is increased in the land. But put forth 
thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will 
curse thee to thy face. 

And there was a day, when his sons and his daughters 
were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's 
house ; and there came a messenger unto Job and said, 
The oxen were ploughing and the asses feeding beside 
them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them 
away : yea they have slain the servants with the edge 
of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee* 
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and 
said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath 
burnt up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, 
and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was 
yet speaking, there came also another, and said. The 
Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the cam- 
els, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the ser- 
vants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped 
alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking there 
came also another, and said. Thy sons and thy daughters 
were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's 
house : and, behold, there came a great wind from the 
wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and 
it fell upon the young men, and they are dead, and I 
only am escaped alone to tell thee. 

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle and shaved his 
head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped, 
and said. Naked came I out of my mother's womb and 
naked shall I return thither : the Lord gave, and the Lord 
hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord. In 
all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered 
my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth ; 
a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and 



Job 2: 3-13. 



160 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



escheweth evil ? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, 
although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him 
without cause. And Satan answered the Lord and said. 
Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath w^ill he give for his 
life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone 
and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And 
the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but 
save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of 
the Lord and smote Job with sore biles, from the sole of 
his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to 
scrape himself withal ; and he sat down among the ashes. 
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine 
integrity? curse God and die. But he said unto her. 
Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we 
not receive evil ? In all this did not Job sin with his Ups. 

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil 
that was come upon him, they came every one from his 
own place : Eliphaz, the Tenamite, and Bildad, the Shu- 
hite, and Zophar, the Naamathite ; for they had made an 
appointment together to come to mourn with him, and to 
comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar 
off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept, 
and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust 
upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with 
him upon the ground seven days, and seven nights, arid 
none spake a word unto him ; for they saw that his grief 
was very great. 

Job answered and said. Oh that my grief were thor- 
oughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances 
together. For now it would be heavier than the sand of 
the sea, therefore my words are swallowed up. For the 
arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison 
whereof drinketh up my spirit ; the terrors of God do 
set themselves in array against me. For my sighing 
cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like 
the waters. For the thing which I greatly feared is come 



Job 6 : 1-4—3 : 24, 25. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 161 

upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto 
me. So am I made to possess mouths of vanity, and 
wearisome nights are appointed to me. When I lie down, 
I say. When shall I arise and the night be gone ? and I 
am full of tossings to and fro, unto the dawning of the 
day. My flesh is clothed with worms, and clods of dust, 
my skin is broken and become loathsome. When I say, 
My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my com- 
plaint : then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest 
me through visions : so that my soul chooseth strangling 
and death rather than my life. 

My soul is weary of my Kfe, I will leave my complaint 
upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 
I will say unto God, do not condemn me ; show me 
wherefore thou contendest with me, is it good unto thee, 
that thou shouldest oppress ; that thou shouldest despise 
the work of thine hands ; and shine upon the counsel of 
the wicked ? Are not my days few, cease then, and let 
me alone, that I may take comfort a little, before I go 
whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness 
and the shadow of death. 

The Lord answered Job and said. Shall he that con- 
tendeth with the Almighty, instruct him ? he that reprov- 
eth God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the 
Lord, and said. Behold I am vile, what shall I answer 
thee ? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have 
I spoken, but I will not answer : yea twice, but I will 
proceed no further. I know that thou canst do every 
thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear : but now 
mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and 
repent in dust and ashes. 

The Lord also accepted Job. And the Lord turned 
the captivity of Job, also the Lord gave Job twice as 
much as he had before. So the Lord blessed the latter 
end of Job, more than his beginning. 



Job 7 : 3-15—10 : 1-21—40 : 1-6-42 : 2-12. 



162 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



LIFE OF MOSES 



B. C. 1705. Now there arose up a new king over 
Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his 
people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are 
more and mightier than we. Come on, let us deal 
wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to 
pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also 
unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them 
up out of the land. 

Therefore they did set over them task-masters to 
afflict them with their burdens. But the more they 
afflicted them, the more they multipHed and grew. 
And they were' grieved because of the children of Israel. 
And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve 
with rigour. And Pharaoh charged all his people, say- 
ing, Every son that is born, ye shall cast into the river, 
and every daughter ye shall save alive. 

And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took 
to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman bare a 
son : and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, 
she hid him three months. And when she could no longer 
hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and 
daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child 
therein ; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 

And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be 
done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down 
to wash herself at the river ; and her maidens walked 
along by the rivers side : and when she saw the ark 
among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And 
when she had opened it, she saw the child : and, behold, 
the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and 
said. This is one of the Hebrews' children. 

Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go 
and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women. And 



Fxod. 1 : 8-22—2 : 1--7. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 163 



Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid 
went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's 
daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and 
nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And 
the woman took the child and nursed it. And the child 
grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, 
and he became her son. And she called his name 
Moses; and she said. Because I drew him out of the 
water. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of 
the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 

§ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused 
to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter ; Choosing 
rather to suffer affiiction with the people of God, than 
to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; Esteeming 
the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures 
in Egypt : for he had respect unto the recompence of 
the reward. And when he was full forty years old, it 
came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of 
Israel. And he went out unto his brethren, and looked 
(;n their burdens : and he spied an Egyptian smiting a 
Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way, 
and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, 
he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 

And when he went out the second day, behold, two 
men of the Hebrews strove together : and he said to 
him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy 
fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a 
judge over us ? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst 
the Egyptian ? And Moses feared, and said. Surely this 
thing is known. 

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to 
slay Moses. But Moses fled and dwelt in the land of 
Midian : and he sat down by a well. Now the priest 
of Midian had seven daughters : and they came and 
drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's 
flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away : 

Exod. 2 : 8-17. Heb. 11 : 24-26. 



164 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL, READER. 



but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their 
flock. And when they came to Reuel their father, he 
said, How is it that ye are. come so soon to-day? And 
they said. An Egyptian deUvered us out of the hand of 
the shepherds. And he said unto his daughters, why is 
it that ye have left the man ? call him, that he may eat 
bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: 
and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 

§ And it came to pass in process of time, that the king 
of Egypt died : and the children of Israel sighed by rea- 
son of the bondage, and they cried ; and their cry came 
up unto God. And God heard their groaning, and God 
remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, 
and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of 
Israel, and God had respect unto them. 

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, 
the priest of Midian : and he led the flock to the back 
side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, 
even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared 
unto him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush ; 
and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, 
and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I 
will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the 
bush is not burnt. 

And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, 
God caljed unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, 
Moses, Moses ! And he said, Here am I. And he said, 
Draw not nigh hither : put off* thy shoes from off" thy 
feet ; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God 
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 
And Moses hid his face ; for he was afraid to look upon 
God. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the afflic- 
tion of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard 
their cry by reason of their task-masters ; for I know 
their sorrows : Come now therefore, and I will send thee 



Exod, 2 : 17-21—3 : 1-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 165 



unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people 
the children of Israel out of Egypt. 

And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto 
the children of Israel, and shall say unto them. The God 
of your fathers hath sent me unto you : and they shall 
say to me, What is his name ? what shall I say unto 
them? 

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM : and 
he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, 
I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover 
unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Is- 
rael, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, 
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me 
unto you : this is my name for ever, and this is my me- 
morial unto all generations. Go, and gather the elders 
of Israel together, and say unto them. The Lord God of 
your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Ja- 
cob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, 
and seen that which is done to you in Egypt : And I 
have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of 
Egypt, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And 
they shall hearken to thy voice : and thou shalt come, 
thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and 
ye shall say unto him. The Lord God of the Hebrews 
hath met with us : and now let us go, we beseech thee, 
three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may 
sacrifice to the Lord our God. 

And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with 
all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: 
and after that he will let you go. 

And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will 
not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice : for they will 
say. The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. And the 
Lord said unto him. What is that in thine hand ? And he 
said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And 
he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent ; and 



Exod. 3 : 10-20—4 



166 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Mo- 
ses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And 
he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod 
in his hand. 

And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine 
hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bo- 
som ; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was lep- 
rous as snow. And he said. Put thine hand into thy 
bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again, 
and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned 
again as his other flesh. And it shall come to pass, if 
they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice 
of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the 
latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not 
believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy 
voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and 
pour it upon the dry land : and the water which thou 
takest out of the river, shall become blood upon the dry 
land. And thou shalt take this rod in thy hand, where- 
with thou shalt do signs. 

§ And Moses went, and returned to Jethro his father-in- 
law, and said unto him. Let me go, I pray thee, and 
return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see 
whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, 
Go in peace. And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, 
Go, return into Egypt : for all the men are dead which 
sought thy life. And Moses took his wife and his sons, 
and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of 
Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 

And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to 
meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount 
of God, and kissed him. And Moses told Aaron all the 
words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs 
which he had commanded him. And Moses and Aaron 
went, and gathered together all the elders of the children 
of Israel. And Aaron spake all the words which the 

Exod. 4 : 3-30. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 167 



Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the 
sight of the people. 

And the people behe v^ed : and when they heard that 
the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he 
had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their 
heads and worshipped. This Moses, whom they refused, 
saying. Who made thee a ruler and a judge ? the same 
did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer, by the hand 
of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. 

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told 
Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my peo- 
ple go, that they..may hold a feast unto me in the wilder- 
ness. And Pharaoh said. Who is the Lord, that I should 
obey his voice to let Israel go ? I know not the Lord, 
neither will I let Israel go. •And they said. The God of 
the Hebrews hath met with us ; let us go, we pray thee, 
three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the 
Lord our God ; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or 
with the sword. And the king of Egypt said unto them, 
Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from 
their works ? get you unto your burdens. 

§ And Pharaoh commanded the same day the task- 
masters of the people, and their officers, saying. Ye shall 
no more give the people straw to make brick, as hereto- 
fore : let them go and gather straw for themselves: And 
the tale of tiie bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye 
shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof : 
for they be idle ; therefore they cry, saying. Let us go 
and sacrifice to our God. Let there more work be laid 
upon the men, that they may labour therein ; and let them 
not regard vain words. 

And the task-masters of the people went out, and their 
officers, and they spake to the people, saying. Thus saith 
Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go ye, get you 
straw where ye can find it : yet not aught of your work 
shall be diminished. So the people were scattered abroad 



Exod. 4 : 30-31. Acts 7 : 35— Exod. 5 : 1-12. 



168 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble in- 
stead of straw. And the task-masters hasted them, say- 
ing, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there 
was straw. And the officers of the children of Israel; 
which Pharaoh's task-masters had set over them, were 
beaten, and demanded. Wherefore have ye not fulfilled 
your task in making brick, both yesterday and to-day, as 
heretofore ? Then the officers of the children of Israel 
came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying. Wherefore dealest 
thou thus with thy servants ? There is no straw given 
unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick : and, 
behold, thy servants are beaten ; but the fault is in thine 
own people. But he said. Ye are idle, ye are idle : There- 
fore ye say. Let us go, and do sacrifice to the Lord. Go 
therefore now and work: for there shall no straw be 
given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.' 

And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron four- 
score and three years old, when they spake unto Pha- 
raoh, 

§ And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is 
hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. Get thee 
unto Pharaoh in the morning ; lo, he goeth out unto the 
water ; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against 
he come ; and the rod which was turned to a serpent 
shalt thou take in thy hand. And thou shalt say unto 
him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto 
thee, saying. Let my people go, that they may serve me 
in the wilderness : and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest 
not hear. Thus saith the Lord, li). this thou shalt k-now 
that I am the Lord : behold, I will smite with the rod that 
is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and 
they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the 
river, shall die, and the river shall stink ; and the Egyp- 
tians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river. 

And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, 
Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand upon the waters 



Exod. 5 : 12-23—7 : 14-19. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 169 



of Egypt, that they may become blood ; and Moses and 
Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded : and he hfted up 
the rod, and 'smote the waters that were in the river, in 
the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants ; and 
all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 
And the fish that was in the river died ; and the river 
stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of 
the river; and there was blood throughout all the land 
of Egypt. And the magicians. of Egypt did so with their 
enchantments : and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, nei- 
ther did he hearken unto them ; as the Lord had said. 
And Pharaoh turned, and went into his house, neither did 
he set his heart to this also. And all the Egyptians dig- 
ged round about the river for water to drink ; for they 
could not drink of the water of the river. And seven 
days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the 
river. 

§ And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, 
Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over the streams, 
over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to 
come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched 
out his hand over the waters of Egypt ; and the frogs 
came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the ma- 
gicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up 
frogs upon the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called for 
Moses and Aaron, and said. Entreat the Lord, that he 
may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; 
and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice 
unto the Lord. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, when 
shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy 
people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, 
that they may remain in the river only ? And he said. 
To-morrow. And Moses and Aaron went out from Pha- 
raoh: and Moses cried unto Lord because of the frogs 
which he had brought against Pharaoh. And the Lord 
did according to the word of Moses ; and the frogs died 

Exod. 7 : 19-25—8 : 5-13. 



170 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. 
But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he har- 
dened his heart, and hearkened not unto them ; as the 
Lord had said. 

§ And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, 
Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that 
it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 
And they did so : for Aaron stretched out his hand with 
his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice 
in man and in beasts ; all the dust of the land became 
lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magi- 
cians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, 
but they could not : so there were lice upon man and 
upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This 
is the finger of God : and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, 
and he hearkened not unto them ; as the Lord had said. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the 
morning, and stand before Pharaoh, (lo, he cometh forth 
to the water.) and say unto him. Thus sayeth the Lord, 
if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send 
swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and 
upon thy people, and into thy houses : and the houses of 
the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also 
the ground whereon they are. And I will sever in that 
day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that 
no swarms of flies shall be there ; to the end thou may- 
est know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. 
And I will put a division between my people and thy 
people : to-morrow" shall this sign be. And the Lord did 
so : and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the 
house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into 
all the land of Egypt : the land was corrupted by reason 
of the swarm of flies. And Pharaoh called for Moses, 
and for Aaron, and said. Go ye, sacrifice to your God in 
the land. And Moses said. It is not meet so to do ; Lo, 
shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians be- 



Fxod. 8 : 13-26. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 171 



fore their eyes, and will they not stone us ? We will go 
three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to 
the Lord our God, as he shall command us. And Pharaoh 
said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord 
your God in the wilderness ; only ye shall not go very 
far away ; entreat for me. And Moses went out from 
Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord : and the Lord did ac- 
cording to the word of Moses ; and he removed the 
swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from 
his people ; there remained not one. And Pharaoh har- 
dened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the 
people go. 

§ Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pha- 
raoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the He- 
brews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For 
if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 
Behold, there shall be a very grievous murrain. And 
the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel, and 
the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of 
all that is the children's of Israel. And the Lord ap- 
pointed a set time, saying. To-morrow the Lord shall do 
this thing in the land. And the Lord did that thing on 
the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died : but of the 
cattle of the children of Israel died not one. And Pha- 
raoh sent, and behold, there was not one of the cattle of 
the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was 
hardened, and he did not let the people go. 

And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take 
to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses 
sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. 

And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, 
and shall be a bile breaking forth with blains upon man, 
and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. And 
they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pha- 
raoh ; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven : and it 
became a bile breaking forth with blains upon man, and 



Exod. 8 : 26-32—9 : 1-10. 



172 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before 
Moses, because of the bile : for the bile was upon the 
magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And the Lord 
hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not 
unto them ; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses. 

§ And the Lord said linto Moses, rise up early in the 
morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him. 
Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my peo- 
ple go, that they may serve me. Behold, to-morrow 
about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous 
hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation 
thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather 
thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field : for upon 
every man and beast which shall be found in the field, 
and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down 
upon them, and they shall die. He that feared the word 
of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his 
servants and his cattle flee into the houses : And he that 
regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and 
his cattle in the field. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thy hand 
toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of 
Egypt. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward hea- 
ven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran 
along upon the ground : and the Lord rained hail upon the 
land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with 
the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in 
all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the 
hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was 
in the field, both man and beast, and the hail smote every 
herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. Only 
in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, 
was there no hail. And Pharaoh sent, and called for Mo- 
ses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time : 
the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 
Entreat the Lord that there be no more mighty thunder- 

Exod. 9: 11-28. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 173 



ings and hail ; and I will let you go. And Moses said 
unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will 
spread abroad my hands unto the I^ord ; and the thun- 
der shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail ; 
that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's. 

And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and 
spread abroad his hands unto the Lord ; and the thun- 
ders and hail ceased^ and the rain was not poured upon 
the earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, and 
the hail, and the thunders, were ceased, he sinned yet 
more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. And 
the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he 
let the children of Israel go ; as the Lord had spoken 
by Moses. 

§ And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and 
said unto him. Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, 
if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to-morrow will 
I bring the locusts into thy coast : and he turned himself, 
and went out from Pharaoh. And the Lord said unto 
Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the land of Egypt for 
the locusts, that they may come up upon the land. 

§ And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of 
Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land 
all that day, and all that night ; and when it was morn- 
ing, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts 
went up over all the land of Egypt, and they covered the 
face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened ; 
and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit 
of the trees which the hail had left ; and there remained 
not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the 
field, through all the land of Egypt. 

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste ; 
and he said, forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, 
and entreat the Lord your God, that he may take away 
from me this death only. And he went out from Pha- 
raoh, and entreated the Lord. And the Lord turned a 

Exod. 9 : 28-35—10 : 3-19. 



174 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast 
them into the Red Sea ; there remained not one locust 
in all the coasts of Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pha- 
raoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Is- 
rael go. 

§ And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand 
toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land 
of Egypt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward 
heaven ; and there was a thick darkness in all the land 
of Egypt three days : They saw not one another, nei- 
ther rose any from his place for three days : but all the 
children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 

And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said. Go ye, serve 
the Lord ; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed : 
and Moses said, Thou must give us also. sacrifices and 
burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our 
God. Our cattle also shall go with us ; for thereof must 
we take to serve the Lord our God. And Pharaoh said 
unto him. Get thee from me, see my face no more ; for 
in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. And Mo- 
ses said. Thou hast spoken well ; I will see thy face 
again no more. 

§ And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one 
plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt ; afterwards 
he will let you go hence. And it came to pass, that, at 
midnight, the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of 
Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his 
throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the 
dungeon, and all the first-born of cattle. And Pharaoh 
rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the 
Egyptians ; and there was a great cry in Egypt ; for 
there was not a house where there was not one dead. 

And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said. 
Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both 
ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, 
as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, 



Exod. 10 : 19-29— U : 1—13 : 29-32. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 175 



and be gone : and bless me also. And the Egyptians 
were urgent upon the people, that they might send them 
out of the land in haste ; ^or they said, We be all dead 
men. And the people took their dough before it was 
leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their 
clothes upon their shoulders. 

And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to 
Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were 
men, besides children. And a mixed multitude went up 
also with them ; and very much cattle. 

§ And God led them not through the way of the land 
of the Philistines, although that was near ; for God said, 
Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, 
and they return to Egypt : but God led the people about, 
through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea : and 
the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land 
of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with 
him. 

And they took their journey from Succoth, and en- 
camped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And 
the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, 
to lead them, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them 
light, to go by day and night. 

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto 
the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp between 
Migdol and the sea. And it was told the king of Egypt 
that the people fled : and he made ready his chariot, and 
took his people with him : and he took six hundred chosen 
chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over 
every one of them. And he pursued after the children 
of Israel, and overtook them encamping by the sea. 

And the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, 
behold, the Egyptians marched after them ; and they 
were sore afraid ; and the children of Israel cried out 
unto the Lord. And Moses said unto the people, Stand 
still, and see the salvation of the Lord, for the Egyptians 



Exod. 12 : 32-33—13 : 17-22—14 : 2-13. 



176 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no 
more for ever. 

And the Lord said unto ]\foses, Speak unto the chil- 
dren of Israel, that they go forward. And the angel of 
God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed, 
and went behind them ; and the pillar of the cloud went 
from before their face, and stood between the camp of 
the Egyptians and the camp^of Israel ; and it was a cloud 
and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these : 
so that the one came not near the other all the night. 

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea ; and 
the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind 
all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters 
were divided. And the children of Israel went into the 
midst of the sea upon the dry ground : and the waters 
were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their 
left. 

§ And the Egyptians pursued them to the midst of the 
sea. And in the morning-watch, the Lord looked unto 
the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and 
of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and 
took off their chariot- v/heels, that they drave them heav- 
ily : so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face 
of Israel ; for the Lord fighteth for them against the 
Egyptians. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand 
over the sea ; and Moses stretched forth his hand, and 
the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the 
horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh. But the children 
of Israel walked upon the dry land in the midst of the 
sea ; thus the Lord saved Israel that day, and Israel saw 
the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore, and the people 
feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant 
Moses. 

§ So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea ; and 
they went out into the wilderness of Shur ; and they went 



Exod. 14 : 13-31—3 : 15-22. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 177 



three days, and found no water. And when they came 
to Marah, they could not drink of the waters, for they 
were bitter. And the people murmured against Moses, 
saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the 
Lord ; and the Lord showed him a tree, which when he 
had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet. 
And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of wa- 
ter, and threescore and ten palm-trees : and they en- 
camped there by the waters. 

§ And they took their journey from Elim ; and came 
unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and 
Sinai. And the whole congregation murmured against 
Moses and Aaron. And the Lord spake unto Moses, 
saying, 

I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel : 
speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and 
in the morning ye shall be filled with bread ; and ye shall 
know that I am the Lord your God. And it came to pass, 
that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp ; 
and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. 
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon 
the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, 
as small as the hoar-frost, on the ground. And when the 
children of Israel saw it, they said one to another. It is 
manna : for they wist not what it was. And Moses said 
unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given 
you to eat. And the children of Israel did eat manna 
forty years, until they came to a land inhabited ; they 
did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the 
land of Canaan. 

§ And the children of Israel journeyed from the wil- 
derness of Sin, and pitched in Rephidim : and there was 
no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people 
did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water, that we 
may drink. 

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying. What shall I 



Exod. 15 : 22-27—16 : 1- 



178 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

do unto this people ? they be almost ready to stone me. 
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, 
and take with thee of the elders of Israel ; and thy rod, 
wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand. 
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in 
Horeb ; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall 
come water out of it, that the people may drink. 

And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 
And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meri- 
bah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and 
because they tempted the Lord, saying. Is the Lord 
among us, or not ? 

§ Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rep- 
hidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out 
men, and go out, fight with Amalek ; to-morrow I will 
stand on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in mine 
hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and 
Moses, Aaron, and Hur, went up to the top of the hill. 
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that 
Israel prevailed ; and when he let down his hand, Ama- 
lek prevailed. 

But Moses' hands were heavy ; and they took a stone, 
and put it under him, and he sat thereon ; and Aaron 
and Hur stayed up his hands, until the going down of 
the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his peo- 
ple with the edge of the sword. 

§ In the third month, when the children of Israel were 
gone forth oat of the land of Egypt, the same day came 
they into the wilderness of Sinai. And it came to pass 
on the third day, in the morning, that there were thun- 
ders, and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, 
and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud ; so that all 
the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses 
brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with 
God ; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 
And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because 



Exod. 17 : 4-13—19 : 1-18, 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 179 



the Lord descended upon it in fire : and the smoke 
thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the 
whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of 
the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, 
Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into 
the mount, and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, 
and commandments which I have written ; that thou 
mayest teach them. And Moses went into the midst of 
the cloud, and gat him up into the mount : and Moses 
was in the mount forty days and forty nights. 

And he gave unto Moses, two tables of stone, written 
with the finger of God. And the tables were the work 
of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven 
upon the tables. 

And it came to pass in the first month in the second 
year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle 
was reared up. 

§ And they departed from the mount of the Lord three 
days' journey : and the ark of the covenant of the Lord 
went before them in the three days' journey, to search 
out a resting-place for them. And it came to pass, when 
the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up. Lord, 
and le't thine enemies be scattered ; and let them that 
hate thee flee before thee. And when it res^ted, he said. 
Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel. 

And the people abode at Hazeroth. And afterward 
the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the 
wilderness of Pa ran. 

§ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou 
men, that they may search the land of Canaan. And 
Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran : all those 
men were heads of the children of Israel. And they 
brought up an evil report of the land, saying. The land, 
through which we have gone to search it, is a land that 
eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people 



Exod. 19 : 18—24 : 12-18—31 : 18—32 : 16—40 : 17. Numb. 10 : 33-36—11 : 35—12 : 
16—13 : 1-33. 



180 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there 
we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the 
giants ; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, 
and so we were in their sight. 

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and 
cried ; and the people wept that night. And all the 
children of Israel murmured against Moses, and against 
Aaron ; and said unto them. Would God that we had 
died in the land of Egypt ! or would God we had died 
in this wilderness ! 

And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jep- 
hunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent 
their clothes ; and they spake unto all the children of 
Israel, saying. The land, which we passed through to 
search it, is an exceeding good land^ a land which flow- 
eth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the 
Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land ; for their 
defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us ; 
fear them not. But all the congregation bade stone 
them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared 
in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the 
children of Israel. 

And the Lord spake unto Mos6s and unto Aaron, say- 
ing, I have heard the murmurings of the children of 
Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, 
As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in 
mine ears, so will I do to you. Your carcasses shall fall 
in this wilderness ; and all that were numbered of you, 
from twenty years old and upward. Doubtless ye shall 
not come into the land, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, 
and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which 
ye said should be a prey, them will 1 bring in, and they 
shall know the land which ye have despised. And your 
children shall wander in the wilderness forty years. 
After the number of the days in which ye searched 
the land, even forty days, shall ye bear your iniqui- 

Numb. 13 : 33—14 : 1-34. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 181 



ties, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach 
of promise. 

And the men which Moses sent to search the land, 
that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by 
the plague before the Lord. But Joshua the son of 
Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of 
the men that went to search the land, lived still. 

Then came the children of Israel into the desert of 
Zin : and the people abode in Kadesh ; and Miriam died 
there, and was buried there. 

§ And the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, 
and came unto mount Hor. And Aaron died there i^ 
the top of the mount. And when all the congregation 
saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty 
days, even all the house of Israel. 

And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in 
the plains of Moab, on this side Jordan^ by Jericho. 
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the 
mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over 
against Jericho : and the Lord showed him all the land. 
And the Lord said unto him. This is the land which I 
sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, say- 
ing, I will give it unto thy seed : I have caused thee to 
see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. 

So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there, in the 
land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And 
he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against 
Beth-peor ; but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto 
this day. And Moses was a hundred and twenty years 
old when he died : his eye was not dim, nor his natural 
force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Mo- 
ses in the plains of Moab thirty days : so the days of 
weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. 



Num. 14 : 34-3S— 20 : 1-29—22 : 1. Deut. 34 : 1- 



182 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JOSHUA. 

And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun, Jehoshua. 
And Moses spake these words unto all Israel. And he 
said unto them, I am a hundred and twenty years old this 
day ; I can no more go out and come in : also the Lord 
hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 
The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee, and he 
will destroy these nations from before thee : and Joshua 
he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath said. 

And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the 
sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage : for 
thou must go with this people unto "the land which the 
Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them ; and 
thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord will 
be with thee : fear not, neither be dismayed. 

Now after the death of Moses, the Lord spake unto 
Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses 
my servant is dead ; now therefore arise, go over this 
Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I 
do give to them. There shall not any man be able to 
stand before thee all the days of thy life : as I was with 
Moses, so I will be with thee. Only be thou strong and 
very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do accord- 
ing to all the law which Moses my servant commanded 
thee. 

And Joshua rose early in the morning ; and they re- 
moved from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all' the 
children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed 
over. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify your- 
selves : for to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among 
you. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take 
up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the 
people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and 
went before the people. And the Lord said unto Joshua, 



Num. 13 : 16. Deut. 31 : 1-8. Josh. 1 : 1-9—3 : 1-7—8 : 28. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 183 



thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the 
covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the wa- 
ter of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And as they 
that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet 
of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim 
of the water, that the waters which came down from 
above stood and rose up upon a heap ; and those that 
came down toward the sea of the plain, failed, and were 
cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 
On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of 
all Israel, and they feared him as they feared Moses, all 
the days of his life. 

Now Jericho was straitly shut up, because of the 
children of Israel : none went out, and none came in. 
And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into 
thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty 
men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye 
men of war, and go round about the city once : thus 
shalt thou do six days. So they did six days. And it 
came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early 
about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city 
after the same manner seven times. And it came to pass 
at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trum- 
pets, Joshua said unto the people. Shout ; for the Lord* 
hath given you the city. When the people heard the 
sound of the trumpet, and shouted with a great shout, the 
wall felLdown flat, so that the people went up into the 
city, every man straight before him, and they took the 
city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the 
city. And they burnt the city with fire : only the silver, 
and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they 
put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. So the 
Lord was with Joshua ; and his fame was noised through- 
out all the country. And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it 
a heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day. 

§ The five Kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusa- 



Josh. 3 : 8-16—4 : 14—6 : 1-27—10 : 5. 



184 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



lem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king 
of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves to- 
gether, and went up, they, and all their hosts, and en- 
camped before Gibeon, and made war against it. 

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp 
to Gilgal, saying, come up to us quickly, and help us. 
Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and w^nt up 
from Gilgal all night. And the Lord discomfited them 
before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at 
Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up 
to Beth-horon. And as they fled before Israel, the Lord 
cast down great stones from heaven upon them, and they 
died : they were more which died with hailstones than 
they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 
Then spake Joshua to the Lord, and said in the sight of 
Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou Moon, 
in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the 
moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves 
upon their enemies. So the sun stood still in the midst 
of heaven about a whole day. And there was no day 
like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened 
unto the voice of a man : for the Lord fought for Israel. 
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the 
camp to Gilgal. And Joshua left nothing undone of all 
that the Lord commanded Moses. And all their kings 
he took, and smote them, and slew them. Joshua made 
war a long time with all those kings. So Joshua took 
the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto 
Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel 
according to their divisions by their tribes. And the 
land rested from war. 

§ And it came to pass, a long time after that the Lord 
had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round 
about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. And 
Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for 
their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, 

Josh. 10: 5-43—11 : 15-23—23: 1-2. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 185 



and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age ; and 
ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto 
all these nations because of you ; now therefore fear the 
Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth ; And if it 
seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this 
day vi^hom ye v^^ill serve, whether the gods which your 
fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, 
or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell : but 
as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 

And the people answered, and said, God forbid that 
we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods ; for the 
Lord our God, he it is that brought us up*, and our fath- 
ers, out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, 
and which did those great signs in our sight, and pre- 
served us in all the way wherein we went, and among 
all the people through whom we passed : therefore will 
we also serve the Lord ; for he is our God. And Joshua 
said unto the people. Ye cannot serve the Lord : for he 
is a holy God : he is a jealous God ; he will not forgive 
your transgressions, nor your sins. If ye forsake the 
Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do 
you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you 
good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay ; but we will 
serve the Lord. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye 
are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you 
the Lord, to serve him. And they said. We are witnesses. 

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, 
and set them a statute and au ordinance in Shechem. 
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of 
God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an 
oak that w^as by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua 
said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a wit- 
ness unto us ; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord 
which he spake unto us : it shall be therefore a witness 
unto you, lest ye deny your God. So Joshua let the peo- 
ple depart, every man unto his inheritance. • 



Josh. 23 : 2—24 : 14-28. 



186 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the 
son of Nun the servant of the Lord died, being a hun- 
dred and ten years old. And they buried him in the 
border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in 
mount Ephraim. And Israel served the Lord all the 
days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that over- 
lived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the 
Lord that he had done for Israel. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF GIDEON. 

B. C. 1285. And the children of Israel did evil in the 
sight of the Lord : and the Lord delivered them into the 
hand of Midian seven years. And there came an angel 
of the Lord, and sat under an oak in Ophrah, that per- 
tained unto Joash : and his son Gideon threshed wheat by 
the wine-press, to hide it from the Midianites. And the 
angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, 
the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And 
Gideon said unto him, O my Lord, if the Lord be with 
us, why then is all this befallen us ? and where be all his 
miracles which our fathers told us of. 

And the Lord looked upon him, and said. Go in this 
thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of 
the Midianites : have not I sent thee ? And he said unto 
him, O my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel ? behold, 
my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in 
my father's house. And the Lord said unto him. Surely 
I will be with thee, and thou shall smite the Midianites 
as one man. 

And he said unto him. If now I have found grace in 
thy sight, then shew me a sign. And Gideon made 
ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour : 
and presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, 
lay them upcm this rock, And he did so. Then the angel 



Josh. 24 : 29-31. Judges 6 : 1-20. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 187 



of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his 
hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes ; 
and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the 
flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the 
Lord departed out of his sight. 

§ And the same night, the Lord said unto him, throw 
down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut 
down the grove that is by it : and build an altar unto 
the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, and offer a 
burnt-sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou 
shalt cut down. Then Gideon did as the Lord had said 
unto hyn. And when the men of the city arose early in 
the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, 
and the grove was cut down that was by it. And they 
said one to another. Who hath done this thing ? And 
they said, Gideon the son of Joash. Then the men of 
the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may 
die : And Joash said unto all that stood against him, 
Will ye plead for Baal ? if he be a god, let him plead for 
himself, because one hath cast down his altar. 

Then all the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and the 
children of the east were gathered together in the valley 
of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, 
and he blew a trumpet ; and Abi-ezer was gathered after 
him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh 
and unto Asher, and unto Zebulon, and unto Naphtah ; and 
they came up to meet them. And Gideon said unto God, 
If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said, 
Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor : and if 
the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the 
earth besides, then shall I know that thou wilt save 
Israel by my hand. And it was so : for he rose up 
early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and 
wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 
And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot 
against me, and I will speak but this once : Let me prove, 



Judges 6 : 21-39. 



188 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



I pray thee, but this once with the fleece ; let it now be 
dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let 
there be dew. And God did so that night : for it was 
dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all 
the ground. 

§ And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are 
with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites 
into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, 
saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore 
go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying. Who- 
soever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart 
early from mount Gilead. And there returned, of the 
people twenty and two thousand ; and there remained 
ten thousand. 

And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet 
too many ; bring them down unto the water, and I will 
try them for thee there. So he brought down the peo- 
ple unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, 
Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue as 
a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise 
every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 
And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand 
to their mouth, were three hundred men : but all the rest 
of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink 
water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three 
hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the 
Midianites into thy hand : and let all the other people go 
every man unto his place. So the people took victuals 
in their hand, and their trumpets : and he sent all the 
rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those 
three hundred men. And the host of Midian was be- 
neath him in the valley. 

§ And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord 
said unto him. Arise, get thee down unto the host ; for I 
have delivered it into thy hand. But if thou fear to go 
down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the 



Judges 6 : 39-40—7 : 2-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 189 



host : And thou shalt hear what they say ; and after- 
ward shall thy hands be strengthened to go down unto 
the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant 
unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. 
And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the 
children of the east, lay along in the valley like grass- 
hoppers for multitude ; and their camels were without 
number, as the sand by the sea-side for multitude. And 
when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that 
told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed 
a dream, and lo, a cake of barley-bread tumbled into the 
host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that 
it fell, and overturned it that the tent lay along. And 
his fellow answered, and said, This is nothing else save 
the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel : 
for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all 
the host. 

And it was so, when Gideon heard the dream, and 
the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and re- 
turned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise ; for the 
Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. 

§ And he divided the three hundred men into three 
companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, 
with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 
And he said unto them. Look on me, and do likewise : 
When I blow with a trumpet, then blow ye the trumpets 
also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword 
of the Lord, and of Gideon. 

So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, 
came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of 
the middle watch; and they had but newly set the 
watch. And the three companies blew the trumpets, and 
brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, 
and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal ; 
and they cried. The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 
And they stood every man in his place round about the 

Judges 17 : 11-21. 



190 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



camp ; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. And 
the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set 
every man's sword against his fellow, even throughont 
all the host. And the men of Israel gathered them*&elves 
together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all 
Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. And he 
took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and 
discomfitted all the host. 

Thus was Midian subdued before the children of 
Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And 
the country was in quietness forty years in the days of 
Gideon. 

And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, 
and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in 
Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. 



LIFE OF SAMUEL. 

Now there was a certain man of mount Ephraim, and 
his name was Elkanah, an Ephrathite. And he had two 
wives ; the name of the one was Hannah. She bare a 
son, and called his name Samuel, saying. Because I have 
asked him of the Lord. 

And when she had weaned him, she took him up with 
her unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh : And they slew 
a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, 
O my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, 
praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed ; and 
the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of 
him : therefore also I have lent him to the Lord ; as long 
as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And the child 
Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. 

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid 
down in his place, and Samuel was laid down to sleep ; 
that the Lord called Samuel : and he answered. Here 

Judges 7 : 21-23—8 : 12-32. 1 Sam. 1 : 1-2S— 3 : 2-4. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 191 



am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I ; for 
thou calledst me. And he said, I called not ; lie down 
again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord 
called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went 
to Eli, and said. Here am I ; for thou didst call me. And 
he answered, I called not, my son ; He down again. And 
the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he 
arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I ; for thou 
didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had 
called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, 
lie down : and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt 
say. Speak, Lord ; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel 
went and lay down in his place. And the Lord called 
as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel an- 
swered. Speak ; for thy servant heareth. 

And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing 
in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that hear- 
eth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against 
Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house : 
for I have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, 
for the iniquity which he knoweth: because his sons made 
themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 

And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the 
doors of the house of the Lord : and Samuel feared to 
shew Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, 
Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And 
he said. What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto 
thee ? I pray thee hide it not from me. And Samuel told 
him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, 
It is the Lord : let him do what seemeth him good. 

§ And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did 
let none of his words fall to the ground. For the Lord 
revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the 
Lord. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. 

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle ; 
and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before 

1 Sam. 3 : 6-21—4 : 1, 2. 



192 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



the Philistines : and they slew of the army in the field 
about four thousand men. 

And when the people were come into the camp, the 
elders of Israel said, Let us fetch the ark of the covenant 
of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that it may save us out 
of the hand of our enemies. And when the ark came 
into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so 
that the earth rang again. And the Philistines were 
afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And 
they said. Wo unto us ! these are the Gods that smote the 
Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be 
strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, 
that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have 
been to you. 

And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and 
the ark of God was taken ; and the two sons of Eli, 
Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. 

And there ran a man to Shiloh the same day, with his 
clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. And lo, EU 
sat upon a seat by the way-side watching : for his heart 
trembled for the ark of God. And when the man told it 
all the city cried out. And when Eli heard the noise of 
the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tu- 
mult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. Now 
Eli was ninety and eight years old ; and his eyes were 
dim, that he could not see. And the man said unto Eli, 
I fled to-day out of the army. And he said. What is 
there done, my son? And the messenger said, Israel is 
fled before the Philistines, and there hath been a great 
slaughter, and thy two sons Hophni and Phinehas, are 
dead, and the ark of God is taken. And when he made 
mention of the ark of God, he fell from off" the seat back- 
ward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he 
died : for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had 
judged Israel forty years. 

§ And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the 



1 Sam. 4 : 2-18—6 : 1. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 193 



Philistines seven months. And the men of Kirjath- 
jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and 
the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, twenty years : and all 
the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. 

And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, 
If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then 
put away the strange gods from among you, and prepare 
your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only : and he 
will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then 
the children of Israel did put away Baalim, and Ashta- 
roth, and served the Lord only. And Samuel said, 
Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto 
the Lord. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and 
drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted 
on that day and said there, We have sinned against the 
Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Miz- 
peh. And the lords of the Philistines went up against 
Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they 
were afraid, and said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto 
the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the 
hand of the Philistines. And Samuel cried Unto the Lord 
for Israel ; and the Lord heard him. 

And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the 
Philistines drew near to battle : but the Lord thundered 
with a great thunder upon the Philistines, and discomfited 
them ; and the men of Israel pursued the Philistines, and 
smote them, until they came under Beth-cai% Then Sam- 
uel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and 
called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the 
Lord helped us. So the Philistines were subdued : and the 
hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days 
of Samuel. And the cities which the Philistines had 
taken from Israel were restored. And Samuel judged 
Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to 
year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and 
judged Israel in all those places. 



I Sam. 7 : 1-17. 



194 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

§ And all the people went to Gilgal ; and there they 
made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. And Samuel 
said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your 
voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king 
over you. And now, behold, the king walketh before 
you ; and I am old and gray-headed ; and behold, my 
sons are with you : and I have walked " before you from 
my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am ; witness 
against me before the Lord, and before his anointed ; 
whose ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken ? or 
whom have I defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or 
of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine 
eyes therewith ? and I will restore it you. And they 
said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, nei- 
ther hast thou taken aught of any man's hand. And he 
said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his 
anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught 
in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. 

And Samuel died : and all the Israelites were gathered 
together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house 
at Ram ah. 



LIFE OF DAVID. 

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou 
mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reign- 
ing over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and I will send 
thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite : for I have provided me 
a king among his sons. And Samuel came to Beth-le- 
hem. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called 
them to the sacrifice. 

And when they were come, he looked on Eliab, and 
said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the 
Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or 
on the height of his stature ; because I have refused him : 



1 Sam. 11 : 15—12 : 1-5—25 : 1—16 : 1-7. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 195 



for the LORD seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh 
on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the 
heart. Then Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before 
Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath 
not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here 
all thy children ? And he said, There remaineth yet the 
youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Sam- 
uel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him. And he sent 
and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of 
a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the 
Lord said, arise, anoint him : for this is he. Then Sam- 
uel anointed him, and the spirit of the Lord came upon 
David from that day forward. 

But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and 
an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. And Saul's 
servants said unto him, Let our lord now command to 
seek out a man who is a cunning player on a harp : and 
when the evil spirit is upon thee, he shall play with his 
hand, and thou shalt be well. And Saul said. Provide 
me now a man that can play well. Then»answered one, 
and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-le- 
hemite, that is cunning in playing. 

Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said. 
Send me David thy son. And David came to Saul : and 
he loved him greatly ; and he became his armour-bearer. 
And when the evil spirit was upon Saul, David took a 
harp, and played : so Saul was refreshed, and the evil 
spirit departed from him. 

§ Now the Phihstines gathered together their armies 
at Shochoh, and Saul and the men of Israel set the bat- 
tle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines 
stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on 
a mountain on tlie other side : and there was a valley 
between them. 

And there went a champion out of the camp of the 
Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six 



1 Sam. 16 : 7-23—17 : 1-4. 



196 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



cubits and a span. And he had a hebiiet of brass upon 
his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail ; and the 
weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 
And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target 
of brass between his shoulders. And the stafFof his spear 
was like a weaver's beam ; and his spear's head weighed 
six hundred shekels of iron. And he stood and cried 
unto the armies of Israel, Choose you a man for you, and 
let him come down to me. If he kill me, then will we 
be your servants : but if I kill him, then shall ye be our 
servants. I defy the armies of Israel this day. When 
Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, 
they were greatly afraid. 

§ And David said to Saul, thy servant will go and fight 
with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art 
not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him : 
for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his 
youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his 
father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and 
took a lamb out of the flock ; and I went out after him, 
and delivered it out of his mouth : and when he arose 
against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, 
and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the 
bear : and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one 
of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living 
God. The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the 
lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me 
out of the hand of this Philistine. 

And Saul armed David with his armour, and put a 
helmet of brass upon his head ; also he armed him with 
a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his 
armour, and assayed to go. And David said unto Saul, 
I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And 
David put them off" him. And he took his staff" in his 
hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook 
and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in 



1 Sam. 17 : 6-40. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 197 



a scrip ; and his sling was in his hand : and he drew near 
to the Phih'stine. And when the Philistine looked about, 
and saw David, he disdained him : for he was but a youth, 
and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philis- 
tine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me 
with staves ? and the PhiHstine cursed David by his gods. 
And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will 
give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts 
of the field. Then said David to the PhiHstine, Thou 
comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with 
a shield : but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of 
hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast 
defied. And David put his hand in his bag, and took 
thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in 
his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead ; and< 
he fell upon his face to the earth. But there was no 
sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and 
stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew 
it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut oflfhis 
head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their 
champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel 
and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philis- 
tines, and they spoiled their tents. And David took the 
head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem. 

§ And when David was returned from the slaughter 
of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of 
Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with ta- 
brets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the 
women answered one another as they played, and said, 
Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thou- 
sands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying dis- 
pleased him ; and Saul eyed David from that day and 
forward. 

And on the morrow, the evil spirit from God came 
upon Saul, and David played with his hand, as at other 
times : and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. And 



1 Sam. 17 : 40-54—18 : 6-10. 



198 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Saul cast the javelin ; for he said, I will smite David 
even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his 
presence twice. 

And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was 
with him, and was departed from Saul. Therefore Saul 
removed him from him, and made him his captain over 
a thousand ; and he went out and came in before the 
people. And David behaved himself wisely in all his 
ways ; and the Lord was with him. Wherefore when 
Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was 
afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, 
because he went out and came in before them. 

§ And there was war again, and David went out, and 
fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great 
slaughter ; and they fled from him. And the evil spirit 
of the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with 
his javelin in his hand ; and David played with his hand. 
And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with 
the javelin ; but hg slipped away out of Saul's presence, 
and he smote the javelin into the wall : and David fled, 
and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers unto 
David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morn- 
ing ; and Michal, David's wife, let David down through 
a window : and he fled, and escaped. And Michal took 
an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goat's 
hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. And 
when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He 
is sick. And Saul sent the messengers again to see Da- 
vid, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may 
slay him. And when the messengers were come in, be- 
hold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of 
goat's hair for his bolster. 

So David came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all 
that Saul had done to him. And David said in his heart, 
I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. And 
David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred 



1 Sam. IS : 11-16—19 : 8-18—27 : 1, 2. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 199 



men that were with him unto Achish, king of Gath. And 
David dwelt with Achish at Gath. 

§ Now the P/iihstines fought against Israel : and the 
men of Israel fled from before the Phihstines, and fell 
down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines fol- 
lowed hard upon Saul and upon his sons ; and the Phi- 
listines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, 
Saul's sons. And the battle went sore against Saul, and 
the archer's hit him. Then said Saul unto his armour- 
bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through there- 
with ; lest thes*e uncircumcised come and thrust me 
through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would 
not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a 
sword, and fell upon it. And when his armour-bearer 
saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, 
and died with him. 

And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of 
the Lord, saying. Shall I go up into any of the cities of 
Judah ? And the Lord said unto him. Go up. And David 
said. Whither? And he said, Unto Hebron. So David 
went up thither. And the men of Judah came, and 
there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. 

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took 
Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and made him king over all 
Israel. Ish-bosheth, was forty years old when he began 
to reign over Israel, and reigned two years : but the 
house of Judah followed David. There was long war 
between the house of Saul and the house of David : but 
David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of 
Saul waxed weaker and weaker. 

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and 
Baanah, came about the heat of the day to the house of 
Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. And they came 
into the midst of the house, as though they would have 
fetched wheat ; and they smote him under the fifth rib : 
and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away. 



Sam. 27 : 3—31 : 1-5. 2 Sam. 2 : 1-10—3 : 1-4 : 5-7. 



200 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And they brought the head unto David to Hebron, and 
said to the king, Behold the head of thy enemy, which 
sought thy hfe. And David answered, When wicked 
men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon 
his bed ? shall I not therefore now require his blood of 
your hand, and take you away from the earth ? And 
David commanded his young men, and they slew them, 
and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them 
up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of 
Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in 
Hebron. 

Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto He- 
bron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and 
thy flesh. So all the elders of Israel came to the king ; 
and king David made a league with them in Hebron 
before the Lord: and they anointed David king over 
Israel. 

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, 
and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over 
Judah seven years and six months ; and in Jerusalem he 
reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. 

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is 
Jebus. And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou 
shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the cas- 
tle of Zion, which is the city of David. And David said. 
Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and 
captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and 
was chief. 

And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called 
it. The city of David. And he built the city round about, 
and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 

So David waxed greater and greater : for the Lord 
of hosts was with him. And the fame of David went out 
into all lands ; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon 
all nations. 

§ Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, 



2 Sam. 4 : 8--12— 5 : 1-6. 1 Chron. 11 : 4-9—14 : 17—14 : 1. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 201 



and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to 
build him a house. And David made him houses in the 
city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, 
and pitched for it a tent. Then David said. None ought 
to carry the ark of God but the Levites : for them hath 
the Lord chosen to minister unto him. So the priests 
and the Levites sanctified themselves. And the children 
of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders 
w^ith the staves thereon, as Moses commanded. Thus 
all Israel brought up the ark w^ith shouting, and v^^ith 
sound of the cornet, and w^ith trumpets, and v^^ith cym- 
bals, with psalteries and harps. So they set it in the 
midst of the tent that David had pitched for it : and 
they offered burnt-sacrifices and peace-offerings before 
God. 

And when David had made an end of offering, he 
blessed the people in the name of the Lord. And he 
dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, a loaf 
of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. 
Now after this it came to pass that David smote the Phi- 
listines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns 
out of the hand of the Philistines. And he smote Moab ; 
and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought 
gifts. 

And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Ha- 
math, as he went to establish his dominion by the river 
Euphrates. 

And he put garrisons in Edom ; and all the Edomites 
became David's servants. Thus the Lord preserved Da- 
vid whithersoever he went. So David reigned over all 
Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his 
people. 

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked Da- 
vid to number Israel. And God was displeased with this 
thing, therefore he smote Israel. And David said unto 
God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this 



I Chron. 15 : 1-28—16 : 1-3—18 : 1-14—21 : 1-8. 



202 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



thing : but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of 
thy servant ; for I have done very foohshly. 

And the Lord spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying, 
Go and tell David, saying. Thus saith the Lord, I offer 
thee three things ; choose thee one of them, that I may 
do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto 
him. Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee, either three years' 
famine ; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes ; 
or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pesti- 
lence, in the land. And David said unto Gad, I am in a 
great strait : let me fall now into the hand of the Lord ; 
for very great are his mercies : but let me not fall into 
the hand of man. So the Lord sent pestilence upon Is- 
rael : and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. 

§ Then David said, This is the house of the Lord God, 
and this is the altar of the burnt-offering for Israel. . And 
David commanded to gather together the strangers in 
the land of Israel ; and he set masons to hew wrought 
stones to build the house of God. And David prepared 
iron in abundance ; and brass in abundance without 
weight ; also cedar-trees in abundance ; for the Zidoni- 
ans and they of Tyre brought much cedar-wood to Da- 
vid. And David said, Solomon my son is young and 
tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord 
must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory 
throughout all countries : I will therefore now make pre- 
paration for it. So David prepared abundantly before 
his death. 

Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him 
to build a house for the Lord God of Israel. And David 
said to Solomon, Now, my son, the Lord be with thee ; 
and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy 
God, as he hath said of thee. Only the Lord give thee 
wisdom and understanding, that thou mayest keep the 
law of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, If 
thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments 

1 Chron. 21 : 9-14—22 : 1-13. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 203 



which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel : 
be strong, and of good courage. Now behold, in my 
trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord a hun- 
dred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand 
talents of silver ; and of brass and iron without weight ; 
timber also and stone have I prepared ; and thou mayest 
add thereto. Moreover, there are workmen with thee in 
abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and 
all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. 
Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there 
is no number. Arise, therefore, and be doing, and the 
Lord be with thee. 

So when David was old and full of days, he made Solo- 
mon his son king over Israel. And he died in a good old 
age, full of days, riches, and honour : and Solomon his 
son reigned in his stead. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF ELIJAH. 

B. C. 910. And Elijah the Tishbite said unto Ahab, As 
the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there 
shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my 
word. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying. 
Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by 
the brook Cherith. And thou shalt drink of the brook ; 
and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. 

So he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith. And the 
ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and 
bread and flesh in the evening : and he drank of the 
brook. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook 
dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. 

And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, and dwell there : behold, I 
have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came 

1 Chron. 22 : 13-16—23 : 1—29 : 28. 1 Kings 17 : 1-10. 



204 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was 
there gathering of sticks : and he called to her, and said, 
Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I 
may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called 
to her, and said. Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread 
in thy hand. And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, 
I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and 
a little oil in a cruse : and behold, I am gathering two 
sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, 
that we may eat it, and die. 

And Elijah said unto her. Fear not ; go and do as thou 
hast said : but make me thereof a little cake first, and 
bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 
For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal 
shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the 
day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. 

And she went and did according to the saying of Eli- 
jah : and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse 
of oil fail. 

And it came to pass that the son of the woman fell 
sick ; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no 
breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have 
I to do with thee, O thou man of God ? art thou come 
unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my 
son ? And he said unto her. Give me thy son. And he 
took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, 
where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 

And he cried unto the Lord, and stretched himself 
upon the child three times, and said, O Lord my God, I 
pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And 
the Lord heard the voice of Elijah ; and the soul of the 
child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah 
took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber 
into the house, and delivered him unto his mother : and 
Elijah said. See, thy son liveth. 



1 Kings 17 : 10-23. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 205 



And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this 1 know 
that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the 
Lord in thy mouth is truth. 

§ And it came to pass after many days, that the word 
of the Lord came to EHjah in the third year, saying, Go, 
shew thyself unto Ahab ; and I will send rain upon the 
earth. And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. 
And there was a sore famine in Samaria. . 

And when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said unto him. Art 
thou he that troubleth Israel ? And he answered, I have 
not troubled Israel ; but thou, and thy father's house, in 
that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, 
and thou hast followed Baalim. Now therefore send, 
and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the 
prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets 
of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 
So Ahab gathered the prophets together unto mount 
Carmel. 

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said. How 
long halt ye between two opinions ? if the Lord be God, 
follow him : but if Baal, then follow him. And the peo- 
ple answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto 
the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord ; 
but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let 
them therefore give us two bullocks ; and let them choose 
one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay 
it on wood, and put no fire under : and I will dress the 
other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under : 
and call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on 
the name of the Lord : and the God that answereth by 
fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and 
said. It is well spoken. And Elijah said unto the pro- 
phets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and 
dress it first. And they took the bullock which was given 
them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal 
from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. 

1 Kings 17 : 24—18 : 1-26. 



206 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And 
they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it 
came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, 
Cry aloud : for he is a god : either he is talking, or he is 
pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleep- 
eth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut 
themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, 
till the blood gushed out upon them. And when they 
prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening 
sacrifice, there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor 
any that regarded. 

And Elijah said unto all the people. Come near unto 
me. And all the people came near unto him. And he 
repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 
And Elijah took twelve stones, and he built an altar in 
the name of the Lord : and he made a trench about the 
altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 
And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in 
pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said. Fill four bar- 
rels with water, and pour it on the burnt-sacrifice, and 
on the wood. And he said. Do it the second time. And 
they did it the second time. And he said. Do it the third 
time. And they did it the third time. And the water 
ran round about the altar ; and he filled the trench also 
with water. 

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the 
evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and 
said. Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be 
known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am 
thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy 
word. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the 
burnt-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the 
dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces : 
and they said, The Lord, he is the God ; the Lord, he is 
the God. And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets 



Kings 18 : 26-40. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 207 



of Baal ; let not one of them escape. And they took 
them : and Elijah brought them down to the brook Ki- 
shon, and slew them there. 

Andi^Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink ; 
for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab 
went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the 
top of Carmel ; and he cast himself down upon the earth, 
and put his face between his knees, and he said to his 
servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he werrt 
up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said. 
Go again seven times. 

And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, 
Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a 
man's hand. And he said. Go up, say unto Ahab, Pre- 
pare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop 
thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that 
the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there 
was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 
And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah ; and he girded 
up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of 
Jezreel. 

§ And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and 
withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying. So 
let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy 
life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this 
time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went a day's 
journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down 
under a juniper-tree : and he requested for himself that 
he might die. 

And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, behold, 
an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 
And he looked, and behold, there was a cake baken on 
the coals, and a cruse of water at his head : and he did 
eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel 
of the Lord came again the second time, and touched 



1 Kings 18 : 40-46—19 : 1-7. 



208 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too 
great for thee. 

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the 
strength of that meat forty days and forty niglft unto 
Horeb the mount of God. 

. And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there ; 
and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he 
said unto him, Go forth, and stand upon the mount be- 
fore the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a 
great and strong wind rent the mountains, and break in 
pieces the rocks before the Lord : but the Lord was not 
in the wind : and after the wind an earthquake ; but the 
Lord was not in the earthquake : and after the earth- 
quake a fire ; but the Lord was not in the fire : and after 
the fire a still small voice. 

And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his 
mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the 
cave. And behold, there came a voice unto him, and 
said, What doest thou here, Elijah ? And he said, I have 
been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts : because 
the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown 
down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword ; 
and I, even I only, am left ; and they seek my life, 
to take it away. 

And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to 
the wilderness of Damascus ; and when thou comest, 
anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son 
of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel : and 
Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou 
anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to 
pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall 
Jehu slay : and him that escapeth from the sword of 
Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thou- 
sand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto 
Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 

And when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven 



1 Kingg 19 : 17-18. 2 Kings 2 : 1. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 209 



by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 
And Elijah said unto Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee ; for 
the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto 
him, ]. will not leave thee. So they went down to 
Beth-el. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I 
pray thee ; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And 
he said. As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul hveth, I will 
not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And Elijah 
said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here ; for the Lord 
hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord 
liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And 
they two went on. And Elijah took his mantle,. and 
wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they 
were divided hither and thither, so that they two went 
over on dry ground. 

And when they were gone over, Elijah said unto 
Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken 
away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a 
double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, 
Thou hast asked a hard thing : nevertheless, if thou see 
me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee ; 
but if not, it shall not be so. And as they still went on, 
and talked, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and 
horses of fire, and parted them both asunder ; and Elijah 
went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 

And EHsha saw it, and he cried. My father, my father, 
the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! And 
he saw him no more : and he took hold of his own 
clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF ELISHA. 

And it came to pass when the LORD would take up 
Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with 
Elisha from Gilgal. He took up also the mantle of Elijah 



2 Ktngs 2 : 1-12—2 : 1. 



210 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the 
bank of Jordan ; and he took the mantle of Elijah that 
fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is 
the Lord God of Elijah ? And the waters parted hither 
and thither : and Elisha went over. And he tarried at 
Jericho. 

And the men of the city said unto Ehsha, Behold, I 
pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my 
lord seeth : but the water is naught, and the ground 
barren. And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put 
salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he 
went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the 
salt in there, and said. Thus saith the Lord, I have heal- 
ed these waters ; there shall not be from thence any 
more death or barren land. So the waters were healed 
unto this day. 

And he went up from thence unto Beth-el : and as he 
was going up by the way, there came forth little chil- 
dren out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, 
Go up, thou bald-head ; go up, thou bald-head. And he 
turned baek, and looked on them, and cursed them in the 
name of the Lord. And there came forth two she-bears 
out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of 
them. And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and 
from thence he returned to Samaria. 

Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the 
sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying. Thy servant 
my husband is dead ; and thou knowest that thy servant 
did fear the lord: and the creditor is come to take unto 
him my two sons to be bond-men. And Ehsha said 
unto her. What hast thou in the house? And she said. 
Thy handmaid hath not any thing in the house save a 
pot of oil. Then he said. Go, borrow of all thy neigh- 
bours, empty vessels ; not a few. And when thou art 
come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon 
thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and 

2 Kiogs 2 : 14-25—4 : 1-4. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 211 



thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she poured 
out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, 
that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And 
he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the 
oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. 
And he said. Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live 
thou and thy children of the rest. 

And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, 
where was a great woman ; and she constrained him to 
eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he 
turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her 
husband. Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man 
of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make 
a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall ; and let us set 
for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a 
candlestick : and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that 
he shall turn in thither. 

And the woman bare a son. And when the child was 
grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to 
I he reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my 
head. And he said .to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 
And when he had taken him, and brought him to his 
mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 
And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of 
God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. Then 
she saddled an ass, and said to her servant. Drive, and 
go forward ; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid 
thee. So she went and came unto the man of God 
to mount Carmel. • And when she came to the man of 
God to the hill, she caught him by the feet ; and lay my 
staff upon the face of the child. And he arose and 
followed her. And when Elisha was come into the 
house, behold, the child was dead. He went in therefore, 
and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the 
Lord. And he lay upon the child, and put his mouth 
upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his 

2 Kings 4 : 4-32. 



212 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



hands upon his hands : and he stretched himself upon 
the child ; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then 
he returned, and walked in the house to and fro ; and 
went up, and stretched himself upon him : and the child 
sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And 
he called Gehazi, and said. Call this Shunammite. And 
when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy 
son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed 
herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. 

And Elisha came again to Gilgal. And there came a 
man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God 
bread of the first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full 
ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said. Give unto 
the people, that they may eat. And his servitor said. 
What ! should I set this before a hundred men ? He said 
again. Give the people, that they may eat : for thus saith 
the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he 
set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof. 

§ Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Sy- 
ria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, 
but he was a leper. And the Syrians had brought away 
captive out of the land of Israel a little maid ; and she 
waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mis- 
tress. Would God my lord were with the prophet that is 
in Samaria ! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 
And one went in, and told his lord. And the king of 
Syria said, Go, I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. 
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying. 
Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have 
therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou 
mayest recover him of his leprosy. And when the king 
of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes, and said. 
Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth 
send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? 

And it was so, when Elisha had heard that the king of 
Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, say- 



2 Kings 4 : 32-44—5 : 1- 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 213 



ing, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes ? let him come 
now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in 
Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and with his 
chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and 
wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come 
again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was 
wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought. He 
will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the 
name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the 
place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Phar- 
par, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of 
Israel ? may I not wash in them, and be clean ? So he 
turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came 
near, and spake unto him, and said. My father, if the pro- 
phet had bid thee do' some great thing, wouldest thou not 
have done it ? how much rather then, when he saith to 
thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and 
dipped himself seven times in Jordan : and his flesh came 
again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was 
clean. 

And he returned to the man of God, and said. Behold, 
now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in 
Israel : now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy 
servant. But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom 
I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take 
it ; but he refused. 

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, said, Behold, my 
master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving 
at his hands that which he brought : but as the Lord liv- 
eth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So 
Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw 
him running, he lighted down from the chariot to meet 
him, and said. Is all well ? And he said. All is well. My 
master hath sent me, saying. Behold, even now there be 
come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the 



2 Kings 6 : 8-27. 



214 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

sons of the prophets : give them, I pray thee, a talent of 
silver, and tw^o changes of garments. And Naaman said, 
Be content, take tw^o talents. And he urged him, and 
bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes 
of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants ; and 
they bare them before him. And when he came to the 
tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them 
in the house : and he let the men go, and they departed. 

But he went in, and stood before his master: and 
EKsha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And 
he said. Thy servant went no whither. And he said unto 
him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned 
again from his chariot to meet thee ? Is it a time to re- 
ceive money, and to receive garments, and olive-yards, 
and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, 
and maid-servants ? The leprosy therefore of Naaman 
shall, cleave unto thee and unto^thy seed for ever. And 
he went out from his presence a leper as white as 
snow. 

And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Let us 
go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every 
man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we 
may dwell. So he went with them. And when they 
came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was 
felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water: and he 
cried and said, Alas, master ! for it was borrowed. And 
the man of God said. Where fell it ? And he shewed him 
the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in 
thither ; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, Take 
it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. 

Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took 
counsel with his servants, saying. In such and such a place 
shall be my camp. And the man of God sent unto the 
king of Israel, saying. Beware that thou pass not such a 
place ; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the 
king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God 



2 Kings 5 : 22-27—6 : 1-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 215 



told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not 
once nor twice. 

Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore trou- 
bled for this thing ; and he called his servants, and said 
unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the 
king of Israel ? And one of his servants said. None, my 
lord, O king ; but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, 
telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in 
thy bed-chamber. And he said. Go, and spy where he 
is. And it was told him, saying. Behold, he is in Dothan. 
Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great 
host : and they came by night, and compassed the city 
about. 

And when the servant of the man of God was risen 
early, and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city 
both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto 
him, Alas, my master ! how shall we do ? And he an- 
swered, Fear not : for they that be with us are more than 
they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, 
Lord, open 'his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord 
opened the eyes of the young man ; and he saw : and 
behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of 
fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to 
him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this 
people, I pray thee, with Windness. And he smote them 
with blindness, according to the word of Elisha. 

And Elisha said unto them. Follow me, and I will bring 
you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Sa- 
maria. And it came to pass, when they were come into 
Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these 
men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their 
eyes, and they saw ; and behold, they were in the midst 
of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, 
when he saw them. My father, shall I smite them ? And 
he answered. Thou shalt not smite them : set bread and 
water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go 

2 Kings 6 : 10-23. 



216 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



to their master. And he prepared great provision for 
them : and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them 
away, and they went to their master. So the bands of 
Syria came no more into the kind of Israel. 

And Ehsha died, and they bmied him. And the bands 
of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the 
year. And it came to pass, as they w^ere burying a man, 
that behold, they spied a band of men ; and they cast the 
man into the sepulchre of Elisha : and when the man was 
let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, 
and stood up on his feet. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF HEZEKIAH. 

B. C. 726, Hezekiah began to reign w^hen he was 
five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and 
twenty years in Jerusalem. * And he did that which w^as 
right in the sight of the Lord. 

He, in the first year of his reign, in the first month, 
opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired 
them. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, 
and gathered them together, and said unto them. Sanc- 
tify now yourselves, and sanc^fy the house of the Lord 
God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out 
of the holy place. It is in my heart to make a cove]f5ant 
with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may 
turn away from us. 

Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the 
rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord. 
And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering 
upon the altar, And when the burnt-offering began, the 
song of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and with 
the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. And 
when they had made an end of offering, the king and all 

2 Kings 13 : 20-2L 2 Chron. 18 : 1-29. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 217 



that were present with him bowed themselves, and 
worshipped. 

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote 
letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should 
come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the 
passover unto the Lord God of Israel. And there as- 
sembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of 
unleavened bread. And Hezekiah spake comfortably 
unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of 
the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven 
days, offering peace-offerings, and making confession to 
the Lord God of their fathers. So there was great joy 
in Jerusalem : for since the time of Solomon the son of 
David king of Israel, there was not the like in Jerusalem. 

Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought 
that which was good and right and truth before the Lord 
his God. And in every work that he began in the ser- 
vice of the house of God, and in the law, and in the com- 
mandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, 
and prospered. 

And Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered 
in Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and 
thought to win them for himself. After this did Senna- 
cherib send his servants unto Hezekiah, and unto all 
Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Senna- 
cherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye 
abide in the siege in Jerusalem? Doth not Hezekiah 
pursuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine 
and by thirst, saying. The Lord our God shall deliver 
us out of the 'hand of the king of Assyria? Know ye 
not what I and my fathers have done unto all the peo- 
ple of other lands ? Now therefore let not Hezekiah 
deceive you : for no god of any nation or kingdom was 
able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the 
hand of my fathers : how much less shS,ll your God de- 
liver you out of my hand ? 

2 Chron. 30 : 1-26—32 : 1--15. 



218 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And his servants spake yet more against the Lord 
God, and against his servant Hezekiah. He wrote also 
letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak 
against him. And they spake against the God of Jeru- 
salem, as agamst the gods of the people of the earth, 
vv^hich were the work of the hands of man. And for 
this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the 
son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 

And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the 
mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in 
the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with 
shame of face to his own land. And when he was come 
into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own 
bowels slew him there with the sword. Thus the Lord 
saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from 
the hand of the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all 
other, and guided them on every side. And many 
brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents 
to Hezekiah king of Judah : so that he was magnified 
in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 

In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And 
the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and 
said unto him. Thus saith the Lord, Set thy house in 
order ; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned 
his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, I 
beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked 
before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have 
done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah 
wept sore. And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone 
out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord 
came to him, saying. Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the 
captain of my people. Thus saith the Lord, I have heard 
thy prayer, I have seen thy tears : behold, I will heal 
thee : on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house 
of the Lord. *And I will add unto thy days fifteen 
years ; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the 



2 Chron. 32 : 16-24. 2 Kings 20 : 1-6. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 219 



hand of the king of Assyria ; and I will defend this city 
for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF MANASSEH. 

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to 
reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem : 
But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. 
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his 
father had broken down, and he reared up altars for 
Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host 
of heaven, and served them. And he built altars for all 
the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the 
Lord. 

And he caused his children to pass through the fire 
in the valley of the son of Hinnom : also he observed 
times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and 
dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards : he 
wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke 
him to anger. So Manasseh made Judah and the in- 
habitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the 
heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the chil- 
dren of Israel. And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and 
to his people : but they would not hearken. 

And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, say- 
ing. Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these 
abominations, and hath made Judah also to sin with his 
idols : Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Be- 
hold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, 
that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. 

Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains 
of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh 
among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and car- 
ried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he 
besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly 



2 Chron. 33 : 1-U. 2 Kings 21 : 10-12. 2 Chron. 33 : 11-12. 



220 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto hhn : and 
he was entreated of hmi, and heard his supphcation, and 
brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then 
Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. And he 
took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house 
of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the 
mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and 
cast them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of 
the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and 
thank-offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the 
Lord God of Israel. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JOSIAH. 

JosiAH was eight years old when he began to reign, 
and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. And 
he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. 
For in the eighth year of his reign, he began to seek 
after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth 
year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the 
high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and 
the molten images. 

And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his 
presence ; and the groves, and the carved images, and 
the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust 
of them, and strewed it upon the graves of them that 
had sacrificed unto them. And he burnt the bones of 
the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Je- 
rusalem. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and 
Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali. 

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, he sent Sha- 
phan the son of Azaliah, and Masseiah the governor of 
the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to re- 
pair the house of the Lord his God. 

And when they brought out the money that was 



2 Chron. 33 : 13-16—34 : 1-14. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 221 



brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest 
found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. 
And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. And Sha- 
phan carried the book to the king, and Shaphan read it 
before the king. And it came to pass when the king had 
heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. 

Then the king gathered together all the elders of Ju- 
dah and Jerusalem. And the king went up into the 
house of the Lord, and all the people, great and small : 
and he read in their ears all the words of the book of 
the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. 
And the king made a covenant before the Lord, to walk 
after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, with all 
his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of 
the covenant which are written in this book. And he 
caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin 
to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did ac- 
cording to the covenant of the God of their fathers. 

And Josiah made all that were presentan Israel, to 
serve the Lord their God. And all his days they de- 
parted not from following the Lord. 

§ Moreover, Josiah kept a passover unto the Lord in 
Jerusalem. And he set the priests in their charges, and 
encouraged them to the service of the house of the Lord. 
And the children of Israel that were present kept the 
passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread 
seven days. And there was no passover like to that 
kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet. In 
the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this pass- 
over kept. 

After all this, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight 
against Charchemish by Euphrates : and Josiah went 
out against him. But he sent ambassadors to him, say- 
ing. What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? 
I come not against thee this day, but against the house 
wherewith I have war : for God commanded me to make 



2Cbron.34 : 14-32—35 : 1-21. 



222 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



haste : forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with 
me, that he destroy thee not. 

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, 
but disguised himself that he might fight with him, and 
hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth 
of God, and came to fight into the valley of Megiddo. 
And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said 
to his servants. Have me away ; for I am sore wounded. 
His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and 
put him in the second chariot that he had ; and they 
brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried 
in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah 
and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 

And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah : and all the sing- 
ing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their 
lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in 
Israel. 



LIFE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 

There was, in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a 
certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia : 
and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name 
was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before 
God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances 
of the Lord blameless. And it came to pass, that, while 
he executed the priest's office before God in the order of 
his course, there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, 
and said, Zacharias, thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife 
Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his 
name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness ; and 
many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in 
the sight of the Lord. 

Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be de- 
livered ; and she brought forth a son. And his father 

2 Chron. 35 : 21-25. Luke 1 : 6--o7. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 223 



Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophe- 
sied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; for he 
hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up 
a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant Da- 
vid ; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, 
which have been since the world began ; to perform the 
mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his 
holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father 
Abraham. 

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the 
Highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to 
prepare his ways ; to give knowledge of salvation unto 
his people, by the remission of their sins, through the 
tender mercy of our God ; whereby the day-spring from 
on high hath visited us ; to give light to them that sit 
in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet 
into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed 
strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his 
shewing unto Israel. 

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius 
Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and He- 
rod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Annas and Caiaphas 
being the high priests, th^ word of God came unto John 
the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came 
into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism 
of repentance, for the remission of sins : as it is written 
in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying. 
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the 
way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley 
shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be 
brought low ; and the crooked shall be made straight, 
and the rough ways shall be made smooth ; and all fl^esh 
shall see the salvation of God. 

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be 
baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned 
you to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring forth there- 



Luke 1 : 67-80—3 : 1-8. 



224 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



fore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say 
within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father : for 
I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise 
up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is 
laid unto the root of the trees : every tree therefore 
which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and 
cast into the fire. 

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do 
then ? He answereth and saith unto them. He that hath 
two coats, let him impart to him that hath none ; and he 
that hath meat, let him do likewise. 

Then came also publicans to be baptized, "and said unto 
him. Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them. 
Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 

And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, 
And what shall we do ? And he said unto them. Do vio- 
lence to no man, neither accuse any falsely ; and be con- 
tent with your wages. 

And as the people were in expectation, and all nien 
mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, 
or not. John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed 
baptize you with water ; but one mightier than I cometh, 
the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose : 
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire ; 
whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge 
his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner ; but 
the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And 
many other things in his exhortation preached he unto 
the people. And this is the record of John, when the 
Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him. 
Who art thou ? And he confessed, and denied not : but 
confessed, I am not the Christ, but there standeth one 
among you, whom ye know not : he it is, who coming 
after me, is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I 
am not worthy to unloose. 

The ;>ext day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and 



Luke 3 : 8-18. John 1 : 19-27. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 225 



saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the 
sin of the world ! This is he of whom I said, After me 
Cometh a man, which is preferred before me : for he was 
before me. And I knew him not : but that he should be 
made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing 
with water. And John bare record saying, I saw the 
Spirit descending from heaven, like a dove, and it abode 
upon him. 

Again, the next day after, John stood, and two of his 
disciples : and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, 
Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard 
him speak, and they followed Jesus. 

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved for Herodias 
his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which He- 
rod had done, added yet this above all, that he shut up 
John in prison. And when he would have put him to 
death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him 
as a prophet. But when Herod's birth-day was kept, 
the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased 
Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give 
her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before 
instructed of her mother, said. Give me here John Bap- 
tist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry : nev- 
ertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with 
him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he 
sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head 
was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel : and 
she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, 
and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told 
Jesus. 

Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning 
John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see ? A 
reed shaken with the wind ? But what went ye out for 
to see ? A man clothed in soft raiment ? Behold, they that 
wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went 
ye out for to see ? A prophet 1 yea, I say unto you, and 

John 1 : 29-37. Luke 3 : 19, 20. Matt. 14 : 6-12—1 1 : 7-9. 



226 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is writ- 
ten, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which 
shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily, I say unto 
you, Among them that are born of women, there hath 
not risen a greater than John the Baptist. 



LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was 
with God, and the Word was God. The same was in 
the beginning with God. 

All things were made by him ; and without him was 
not any thing made that was made. In him was life ; 
and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth 
in darkness ; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, 
and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begot- 
ten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise : there 
went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world 
should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one 
into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, 
out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of 
David, which is called Bethlehem, to be taxed with Mary 
his espoused wife. And while they were there, she 
brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in 
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger ; because 
there was no room for them in the inn. 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding 
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the 
glory of the Lord shone round about them ; and they 
were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear 
not ; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this 

John 1 : 1-14. Matt. 1 : 8. Euke 2 : 1-11. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 227 



day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the 
Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find 
the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of 
the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God 
in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away 
from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to ano- 
ther. Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this 
thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made 
known unto us. And they came with haste, and found 
Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And 
when they had seen it, they made known abroad the say- 
ing which was told them concerning this child. And all 
they that heard it wondered at those things which were 
told them by the shepherds. And the shepherds returned, 
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they 
had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. 

§ Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jeru- 
salem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? 
for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to 
worship him. 

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was 
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had 
gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people 
together, he demanded of them where Christ should be 
born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea ; 
for thus it is written by the prophet. 

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the 
least among the princes of Juda : for out of thee shall 
come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, 
inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said. Go, and search 
diligently for the young child ; and when ye have found 
him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship 



Luke 2 : n-20. Matt. 2 : 1--8. 



228 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



him also. When they had heard the king, they departed ; 
and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before 
them, till it came and stood over where the young child 
was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with ex- 
ceeding great joy. 

And when they were come into the house, they saw 
the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, 
and worshipped him : and when they had opened their 
treasures, they presented unto him gifts ; gold, and fran- 
kincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a 
dream that they should not return to Herod, they de- 
parted into their own country another way. And when 
they were departed, behold, the angel of the iJiord appear- 
eth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the 
young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be 
thou there until I bring thee word : for Herod will seek 
the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took 
the young child and his mother by night, and departed 
into Egypt : and was there until the death of Herod. 

But, when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the 
Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 
Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go 
into the land of Israel : for they are dead which sought 
the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young 
child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel, 
into the parts of Galilee : and came and dwelt in a city 
called Nazareth : that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. 

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled 
with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him. 
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the 
feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years 
old, they went up to Jerusalem, after the custom of the 
feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they 
returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; 
and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, 



Matt. 2 : 9-23. Luke 2 : 40-43. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 229 



supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's 
journey ; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and 
acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned 
back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 

And it came to pass, that after three days they found 
him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both 
hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that 
heard him were astonished at his understanding and an- 
swers. And when they saw him, they were amazed : 
and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus 
dealt with us ? behold, thy father and I have sought thee 
sorrowing. 

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ? 
wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business ? 
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto 
them. And he went down with them, and came to Naza- 
reth, and was subject unto them : but his mother kept all 
these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in 
wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. 

§ And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came 
from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in 
Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, 
he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove 
descending upon him. And there came a voice from 
heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am 
well pleased. 

Jesus began to be about thirty years of age, and being 
full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was 
led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days 
tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat 
nothing : and when they were ended, he afterward hun- 
gered. 

And the devil said unto him. If thou be the Son of God, 
command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus 
answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not 
live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 



Luke 2 : 44-52. Mark 1 : 9-11. Luke 3 : 23—4 : 1-4. 



230 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, 
showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a mo- 
ment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this 
power will I give thee, and the glory of them : for that 
is delivered unto me ; and to whomsoever I will, I give 
it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 
And Jesus answered and said unto him. Get thee behind 
me, Satan ; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord 
thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a 
pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him. If thou be the 
Son of God, cast thyself down from hence : for it is writ- 
ten. He shall give his angels charge over tITee, to keep 
thee ; and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at 
any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus 
answering, said unto him, It is said. Thou shalt not tempt 
the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all 
the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into 
Gahlee ; and there went out a fame of him through all 
the region round about. And he taught in their syna- 
gogues, being glorified of all. 

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought 
up : and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue 
on the sabbath-day, and stood up to read. And there 
was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias : 
and when he had opened the book, he found the place 
where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the 
poor ; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to 
preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of 
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. 
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And all bare 
him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which 
proceeded out of his mouth. 

And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, 



Luke 4 : 6-3L 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 231 



and taught them on the sabbath-days. And they were 
astonished at his doctrine : for his word was with power. 

And in the synagogue there was a man which had a 
spirit of an unclean devil ; and he cried out with a load 
voice, and Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, 
and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown 
him in the midst, he came out of him. And they were 
all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What 
a word is this ! for with authority and power he com- 
mandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. And 
the fame of him went out into every place of the country 
round about. 

And he Srose out of the synagogue, and entered into 
Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken 
with a great fever ; and they besought him for her. And 
he stood over her, and rebuked the fever ; and it left 
her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto 
them. 

Now, when the sun was setting, all they that had any 
sick with divers diseases, brought them unto him : and 
he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 
And devils also came out of many, crying out, and say- 
ing, Thou art Christ the Son of God. 

And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, 
behold a man full of leprosy ; who, seeing Jesus, fell on 
his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, 
thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand, 
and touched him, saying, I will ; be thou clean. And 
immediately the leprosy departed from him : and great 
multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by 
him of their infirmities. 

And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was 
taken with a palsy : and they sought means to bring him 
in, and to lay him before him. And when they could 
not find by what way they might bring him in because 
of the multitude, they went upon the house-top, and let 



Luke 4 : 31-41—5 : 12-19. 



232 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



him down through the tihng, with his couch, into the 
midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he 
said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the 
scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying. Who 
is this which speaketh blasphemies ? Who can forgive 
sins but God alone ? But when Jesus perceived their 
thoughts, he, answering, said unto them. What reason ye 
in your hearts ? Whether is easier, to say. Thy sins be 
forgiven thee ; or to say. Rise up and walk? But that 
ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon 
earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) 
I say unto thee. Arise, and take up thy couch, and go 
into thy house. And immediately he rose up before 
them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to 
his own house, glorifying God. And they were all 
amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with 
fear. 

§ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their 
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, 
and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of 
disease among the people. And his fame went through- 
out all Syria : and they brought unto him all sick peo- 
ple that were taken with divers diseases and torments, 
and those which were possessed with devils, and those 
which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy ; and 
he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes 
of people from Galilee and from Decapolis, and from Je- 
rusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan. 

When he entered into Capernaum, a certain centu- 
rion's servant, who was dear unto him, w^as sick, and 
ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto 
htm the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would 
come and heal his servant. And when they came to 
Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying. That he was 
worthy for whom he should do this : For he loveth our 
nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. And they that 



Luke 5 : 19-25. Matt. 4 : 23-25. Luke 7 : 1-5. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 233 



were sent, returned to the house, found the servant whole 
that had been sick. 

The day after, that he went mto a city called Nain : 
and many of his disciples went with him, and much peo- 
ple. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, 
behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son 
of his mother, and she was a widow : and much people 
of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, 
he had compassion on her, and said unto her. Weep not. 
And he came and touched the bier : and they that bear 
him stood still. And he said. Young man, I say unto 
thee. Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to 
speak : and he delivered him to his mother. And there 
came a fear on all : and they glorified God, saying, That 
a great prophet is risen up among us ; and, That God 
hath visited his people. And this rumour of him went 
forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region 
round about. And the disciples of John shewed him of 
all these things. 

And John, calling unto him two of his disciples, sent 
them to Jesus, saying. Art thou he that should come ? or 
look we for another ? When the men were come unto 
him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, say- 
ing. Art thou he that should come ? or look we for an- 
other ? Then Jesus answering, said unto them, Go your 
way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard ; 
how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are 
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor 
the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever 
shall not be offended in me. And in those days, he went 
out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in 
prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto 
him his disciples : and of them he chose twelve, whom 
also he named Apostles ; And he sent them to preach the 
kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto 
them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor 



Luke 7 : 11-23. 



234 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



scrip, neither bread, neither money ; neither have two 
coats a piece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, 
there abide, and thence depart. And whosoever will 
not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off 
the very dust from your feet for a testimony against 
them. And they departed, and went through the towns, 
preaching the gospel, and healing every where. 

And the apostles, when they were returned, told him 
all that they had done. And he took them, and went 
aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city 
called Bethsaida. "And the people, when they knew it, 
followed him : and he received them, and spake unto 
them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had 
need of healing. 

And when the day began to wear away, then came 
the twelve, and said unto him. Send the multitude away, 
that they may go into the towns and country round about, 
and lodge, and get victuals : for we are here in a desert 
place. But he said unto them. Give ye them to eat. 
And they said. We have no more but five loaves and 
two fishes ; except we should go and buy meat for all 
this people. For they were about five thousand men. 
And he said to his disciples. Make them sit down by 
fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them 
all sit down. Then he took the five loaves, and the two 
fishes ; and, looking up to heaven, he blessed them, 
and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the 
multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled : and 
there was taken up of fragments that remained to them 
twelve baskets. 

And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his dis- 
ciples were with him : and he asked them, saying, Who 
say the people that I am ? They answering, said, John 
the Baptist ; but some say, Elias ; and others say, that 
one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto 
them, But who say ye that I am ? Peter answering, 

Luke 9 : 3-18. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 235 



said, The Christ of God. And he straitly charged them, 
and commanded them to tell no man that thing, saying, 
The Son of man must suffer many things, and be reject- 
ed of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be 
slain, and be raised the third day. 

§ And he said to them all, If any man wiH come aft^ 
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, 
and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall 
lose it : but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the 
same shall save it. 

And it came to pass, that as they went in the way, a 
certain man said unto him. Lord, I will follow thee 
withersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him. 
Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests ; but 
the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And 
he said unto another, Follow me. But he said. Lord, 
suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said 
unto him, Let the dead bury their dead : but go thou and 
preach the kingdom of God. And another also said. 
Lord, I will follow thee ; but let me first go bid them 
farewell which are at home at my house. And Jesus 
said unto him. No man having put his hand to the plough, 
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. 

And it came to pass, about an eight days after these 
sayings, he took Peter, and John, and James, and went 
up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the 
fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment 
was white and glistering. And behold, there talked 
with him two men, which were Moses and Elias : who 
appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he 
should accomplish at Jerusalem. 

But Peter and they that were with him were heavy 
with sleep : and when they were awake, they saw his 
glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it 
came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said 
unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here : and let 



Luke 9 : 21-62. 



236 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



US make three tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for 
Moses, and one for EHas : not knowing what he said. 
While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and over- 
shadowed them : and they feared as they entered into 
the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, 
saying, This is my beloved Son : hear him. 

§ After these things, the Lord appointed other seventy 
also, and sent them two and two before his face into 
every city, and place, whither he himself would come. 
Therefore said he unto them. The harvest truly is great, 
but the labourers are few : pray ye therefore the Lord 
of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into 
his harvest. Go your ways : behold, I send you forth 
as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, 
nor shoes : and salute no man by the w^ay. 

And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say. Peace 
be to this hoUse. And if the son of peace be there, your 
peace shall rest upon it : if not, it shall turn to you again. 
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such 
things as they give ; for the labourer is worthy of his 
hire. Go not from house to house. 

And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive 
you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal 
the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The king- 
dom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatso- 
ever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your 
ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the 
very dust of your city which cleaveth on us, we do wipe 
off against you : notwithstanding, be ye sure of this, that 
the kingdom of God is come nigh unio you. But I say 
unto you. That it shall be more tolerable in that day for 
Sodom than for that city. And I say unto you. Be not 
afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no 
more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom 
ye shall fear : Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath 
power to cast into hell ; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 



Luke 9 : 33-35—10 : 1-12—12 : 4, 5. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 237 



Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before 
men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the 
angels of God : but he that denieth me before men, shall 
be denied before the angels of God. . 

And it came to pass, when the time was come that he 
should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go 
to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face ; 
and they went and entered into a village of the Sama- 
ritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive 
him, because his face was as though he would go to Je- 
rusalem, And when his disciples James and John saw 
this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to 
come down from heaven, and consume them, even as. 
Elias did ? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said. 
Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the 
Son of man is not come to destroy men's hves, but to 
save them. And they went to another village. 

And they were in the way, going up to Jerusalem ; 
and Jesus went before them : and they were amazed ; 
and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took 
again the twelve, and began to tell them what things 
should happen unto him, saying. Behold, we go up to 
Jerusalem ; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto 
the chief priests, and unto the scribes ; and they shall 
condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gen- 
tiles ; and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, 
and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him : and the third 
day he shall rise again. Therefore doth my Father love 
me, because I lay down my Hfe, that I might take it 
again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of 
myself I have power to lay it down, and I have power 
to take it again. 

§ Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of 
Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. There- 
fore his sisters sent unto him, saying. Lord, behold, he 
whom thou lovest is sick. Now Jesus loved Martha, and 

Luke 12 : 8—9 : 51-56. John 11 : 1-5. 



238 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 

her sister, and Lazarus. When Jesus came, he found 
that he had lain in the grave four days ah'eady. 

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been 
here, my brother had not died. Jesus saith unto her, 
Thy brother shall rise again. I am the resurrection, and 
the hfe : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, 
yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth, and believeth in 
me, shall never die. Believest thou this ? 

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord : I believe that thou art 
the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the 
world. When Jesus therefore sav^ her weeping, and the 
Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in 
spirit, and was troubled, and said. Where have ye laid 
him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus 
wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him ! 
Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the 
grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 

Jesus said. Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sis- 
ter of him that was dead, saith unto him. Lord, by this 
time he stinketh : for he hath been dead four days. 

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou 
wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 

Then they took away the stone from the place where 
the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and 
said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And 
I knew that thou hearest me always : but because of the 
people which stand by I said it, that they may believe 
that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, 
he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And 
he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with 
grave-clothes ; and his face was bound about with a 
napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let 
him go. 

§ Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a 
council, and said. What do we ? for this man doeth many 
miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe 



John 11 : 17-44. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 239 



on him : and the Romans shall come, and take away both 
our place and nation. 

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high 
priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing 
at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one 
man should die for the people, and that the whole nation 
perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being 
high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die 
for that nation ; and not for that nation only, but that 
also he should gather together in one the children of God 
that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth 
they took counsel together for to put him to death. 

§ And he went, ascending up to Jerusalem. And as 
he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And 
when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the 
mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples be- 
gan to rejoice, and praise God with a loud voice, for all 
the mighty works that they had seen, saying, Blessed be 
the King that cometh in the name of the Lord ; peace in 
heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Phari- 
sees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, 
rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto 
them, I tell you that, if these should hold their, peace, the 
stones would immediately cry out. 

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and 
wept over it, saying. If thou hadst known, even thou, at 
least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy 
peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the 
days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast 
a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep 
thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the 
ground, and thy children within thee ; and they shall not 
leave in thee one stone upon another ; because thou knew- 
est not the time of thy visitation. 

And he went into the temple, and began to cast out 
them that sold therein, and them that bought : saying 



John 1 1 : 47-53. Luke 19 : 36-45. 



240 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: 
but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught 
daily in the temple. But the chief priests, and the scribes, 
and the chief of the people, sought to destroy him ; and 
could not find what they might do : for all the people 
were very attentive to hear him. 

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which 
is called the Passover. And the chief priests and scribes 
sought how they might kill him: for they feared the 
people. 

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, be- 
ing of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, 
and communed with the chief priests and captains, how 
he might betray him unto them. And they were glad, 
and covenanted to give him money. And he promised, 
and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the 
absence of the multitude. 

Then came the day of the passover, and he sent Peter 
and John, saying. Go and prepare us the passover that 
we may eat. And when the hour was come he sat down, 
and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto 
them. With desire I have desired to eat this passover with 
you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not any 
more eat thereof, until it fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 

And I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the 
vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and 
gave unto them, saying. This is my body which is given 
for you : this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also 
the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testa- 
ment in my blood, which is shed for you. 

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, 
That one of you shall betray me. And they were ex- 
ceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say 
unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said. He 
that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall 

Luke 19 : 46-48—22 : 1-20. Matt. 26 : 22, 23. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 241 



betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of 
him : but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is 
betrayed ! it had been good for that man if he had not 
been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered 
and said, Master, is it IT He said unto him, Thou hast 
said. 

§ And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the 
mount of OHves ; and his disciples also followed him. 
And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray 
that ye enter not into temptation. 

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, 
and kneeled down, and prayed, saying. Father, if thou be 
willing, remove this cup from me : nevertheless, not my 
will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel 
unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And l^eing in 
an agony, he prayed more earnestly : and his sweat was 
as it were great drops of blood falling down to the 
ground. 

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to 
his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, and said 
unto them, Why sleep ye ? rise and pray, lest ye enter 
into temptation. 

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that 
was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, 
and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said 
unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a 
kiss ? When they which were about him saw what would 
follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the 
sword ? 

And one of them smote a servant of the high priest, 
and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, 
Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed 
him. Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and cap- 
tains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to 
him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and 
staves ? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye 



Matt. 26 : 24, 25. Luke 22 : 39-52. 



242 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



stretched forth no hands against me : but this is your 
hour, and the power of darkness. 

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into 
the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. 

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people, 
and the chief priests, and the scribes, came together, and 
led him into their council, saying. Art thou the Christ ? 
tell us. And he said unto them. If I tell you, ye will not 
believe : and if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, 
nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on 
the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all. 
Art thou then the Son of God ? And he said unto them. 
Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any 
further witness ? for we ourselves have heard of his own 
mouth. 

§ And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him 
unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying. We 
found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to 
give tribute to Cesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a 
King. 

And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the 
Jews ? And he answered him and said. Thou sayest it. 
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I 
find no fault in this man. 

And they were the more fierce, saying. He stuTeth up 
the people, teaching throughout all Jev/ry, beginning from 
Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he 
asked whether the man were a Galilean. And as soon 
as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, 
he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem 
at that time. 

And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedinflr fflad : 
for he was desn-ous to see him of a long season, because 
he had heard many things of him ; and he hoped to have 
seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned 
with him in many words ; but he answered him nothing. 



Luke 22 : 53-71—23 : 1- 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 243 



And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently 
accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him 
at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorge- 
ous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 

And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends 
together ; for before they were at enmity between them- 
selves. 

And Pilate, when he had called together the chief 
priests, and the rulers, and the people, said unto them, 
Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that pervert- 
eth the people ; and, behold, I, having examined him be- 
fore you, have found no fault in this man touching those 
things whereof ye accuse him : No, nor yet Herod : for 
I sent you to him ; and lo, nothing worthy of death is 
done unto him : I will therefore chastise him, and release 
him. For of necessity he must release one unto them at 
the feast. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away 
with this man, and release unto us Barabbas : (who, for 
a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was 
cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release 
Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Cru- 
cify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third 
time, Why, what evil hath he done ? I have found no 
cause of death in him ; I will therefore chastise him, and 
let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, re- 
quiring that he might be crucified : and the voices of 
them, and of the chief priests, prevailed. And Pilate 
gave sentence that it should be as they required. And 
he released unto them him that for sedition and, murder 
was cast into prison, whom they had desired ; but he 
delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, 
they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian, coming out 
of the country, ajid on him they laid the cross, that he 
might bear it after Jesus. 

And there followed him a great company of people, 
and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 



Luke 23 : 10-27. 



244 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Bat Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusa- 
lem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for 
your children. For behold, the days are coming, in the 
which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the 
wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave 
suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, 
Fall on us ; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do 
these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the 
dry ? And there were also two others, malefactors, led 
with him to be put to death. And when they were come 
to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified 
him, and the malefactors ; one on the right hand, and the 
other on the left. 

§ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them: for they know 
not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast 
lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers 
also with them derided him, saying, He saved others ; 
let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and 
offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the King 
of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also 
was written over him, in letters of Greek, and Latin, and 
Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
And one of the malefactors, which were hanged, railed 
on him, saying. If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
But the other answering, rebuked him, saying. Dost not 
thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 
And we indeed justly ; for we receive the due reward 
of our deeds : but this man hath done nothing amiss. 
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou 
comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him. 
Verily, I say unto thee. To-day shalt thou be with me in 
paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there 
was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 
And the sun was darkened, and the vail of the temple 
was rent in the midst. 

Luke 23 : 27-45. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 245 



And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, 
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit : and having 
said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now, when the centu- 
rion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Cer- 
tainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that 
came together to that sight, beholding the things which 
were done, smote their breasts and returned. And all 
his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from 
Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. 

And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a coun- 
sellor ; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same 
had not consented to the counsel and deed of them :) he 
was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews ; who also himself 
waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto 
Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it 
down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre 
that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was 
laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sab- 
bath drew on. And the women also, which came with 
him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepul- 
chre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, 
and prepared spices and ointment ; and rested the sab- 
bath-day, according to the commandment. 

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the 
morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the 
spices which they had prepared, and certain others with 
them. And they found the stone rolled away from the 
sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body 
of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were 
much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by 
them in shining garments. And as they were afraid, 
and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto 
them, Why seek ye the living among the dead ? He is 
not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto 
you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, the Son of man 
must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be 



Luke 23 : 46-56—24 : 1-7. 



246 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



crucified, and the third day rise again. And they re- 
membered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, 
and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the 
rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary 
the mother of James, and other women that were with 
them, which told these things unto the apostles. And 
their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they be- 
lieved them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the 
sepulchre, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes 
laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself 
at that which was come to pass. 

§ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a 
village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about 
threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all 
these things which had happened. And it came to pass, 
that, while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus 
himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes 
were holden, that they should not know him. And he 
said unto them, What manner of communications are these 
that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 
And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answer- 
ing, said unto him. Art thou only a stranger in Jerusa- 
lem, and hast not known the things which are come to 
pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What 
things ? And they said unto him. Concerning Jesus of 
Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word 
before God, and all the people: And how the chief priests 
and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, 
and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been 
he which should have redeemed Israel : and besides all 
this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. 
Yea, and certain women also of our company made us 
astonished, which were early at the sepulchre. And 
when they found not his body, they came, saying, that 
they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he 
was alive. And certain of them which were with us, 

Luke 24 : 7-22. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 247 



went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the wo- 
men had said : "but him they saw not. 

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to 
believe all that the prophets have spoken ! Ought not 
Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into 
his glory ? And beginning at Moses, and all the pro- 
phets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the 
things concerning himself. 

And they drew nigh unto the village whither they 
went : and he made as though he would have gone fur- 
ther. But they constrained him, saying. Abide with us : 
for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And 
he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as 
he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, 
and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were 
opened, and they knew him : and he vanished out of 
their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our 
heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, 
and while he opened to us the scriptures ? 

And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Je- 
rusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and 
them that were with them, saying. The Lord is risen 
indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told 
what things were done in the way, and how he was 
known of them in breaking of bread. 

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the 
midst of them, and saith unto them. Peace be unto you. 
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that 
they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them. Why 
are ye troubled ? and why do thoughts arise in your 
hearts ? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I my- 
self : handle me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and 
bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, 
he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they 
yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them. 
Have ye here any meat ? And they gave him a piece 



Luke 24 : 24-42. 



248 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, 
and did eat before them. And he said unto them, These 
are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet 
with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were 
written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in 
the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their un- 
derstanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 
and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it be- 
hoved Christ to suflfer, and to rise from the dead the third 
day : and that repentance and remission of sins should 
be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at 
Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things, 

Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them 
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things what- 
soever I have commanded you : and lo, I am with you 
always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon 
you : but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be 
endued with power from on high. 

And he led them out as far as to Bethany : and he 
lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to 
pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, 
and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, 
and returned to Jerusalem with great joy : and were 
continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. 
Amen. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF PETER. 

Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two breth- 
ren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, cast- 
ing a net into the sea ; for they were fishers. And he 
saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers 

Luke 24 : 42-53. Matt. 4 : 18. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 249 



of men. And they straightway left their nets, and fol- 
lowed Jhim. 

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these : The 
first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother ; 
James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother ; Philip, 
and Bartholomew ; Thomas, and Matthew the publican ; 
James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname 
was Thaddeus ; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Isca- 
riot, who also betrayed him. 

And Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, 
and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent 
the multitudes away : and when the evening was come, 
he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst 
of the sea, tossed with waves : for the wind was con- 
trary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went 
unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disci- 
ples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, 
saying. It is a spirit ; and they cried out for fear. But 
straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying. Be of good 
cheer : it is I ; be not afraid. 

And Peter answered him and said. Lord, if it be thou, 
bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said. Come. 
And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he 
walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw 
the wind boisterous, he was afraid ; and beginning to 
sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately 
Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said 
unto him, O thou of httle faith, wherefore didst thou 
doubt ? And when they were come into the ship, the 
wind ceased. 

When Jesus came into the* coasts of Cesarea Philippi, 
he asked his disciples, saying. Who do men say that I, 
the Son of man, am ? And they said. Some say that 
thou art John the Baptist ; some, Elias ; and others, Jere- 
mias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But 
who say ye that I am ? And Simon Peter answered 

Matt. 4 : 20—10 : 2-4—14 : 22-32—16 : 13. 



250 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Uving God. 
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, 
Simon Bar-jona : for flesh and blood hath not revealed 
it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I 
say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this 
rock I will build my church : and the gates of hell shall 
not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the 
keys of the kingdom of heaven : and whatsoever thou 
shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ; and 
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed 
in heaven. 

P'rom that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his dis- 
ciples, how that he must go into Jerusalem, and suffer 
many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, 
and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then 
Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying. Be 
it far from thee, Lord : this shall not be unto thee. 
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind 
me, Satan ; thou art an offence unto me : for thou sav- 
ourest not the things that be of God, but those that be 
of men. 

§ And when they were come to Capernaum, they that 
received tribute-money, came to Peter, and said, Doth 
not your master pay tribute ? He saith, Yes. And 
when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, 
saying. What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the 
kings of the earth take custom or tribute ? of their own 
children, or of strangers ? Peter saith unto him, Of 
strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children 
free. Notwithstanding, lest we should oflfend them, go 
thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that 
first Cometh up : and when thou hast opened his mouth, 
thou shalt find a piece of money : that take, and give 
unto them for me and thee. 

Then came Peter to him, and said. Lord, how oft shall 
my brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? till seven 



Matt. 16 : 16-23—17 : 24-27—18 : 21. 

^ «L_ 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 251 



times ? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until 
seven times, but, Until seventy times seven. 

§ Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended 
because of me this night : for it is written, I will smite 
the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scat- 
tered a-broad. Peter answered and said unto him, 
Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet 
will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily, I 
say unto thee. That this night, before the cock crow, thou 
shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him. Though I 
should die with thee, yet will not I deny thee. Like- 
wise also said all the disciples. 

And, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him 
a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief 
priests and elders of the people. Then Simon Peter, 
having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's 
servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name 
was Malchus. And Jesus answered and said. Suffer ye 
thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. 

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him 
into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar 
off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of 
the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down 
among them. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat 
by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, 
This man was also with him. And he denied him, say- 
ing. Woman, I know him not. And after a little while 
another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And 
Peter said, Man, I am not. 

And about the space of one hour after, another confi- 
dently affirmed, saying. Of a truth this fellow also was 
with him ; for he is a Galilean. And Peter said, Man, I 
know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he 
yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and 
looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word 
of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock 



Matt. 18 : 22—26 : 31-75. 



252 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



crow, thou shal't deny me thrice. And Peter went out 
and wept bitterly. 

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene 
early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and 
seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then 
she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the 
other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, 
They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre and 
we know not where they have laid him. Peter there- 
fore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the 
sepulchre. So they ran both together : and the other 
disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 
And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen 
clothes lying ; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon 
Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and 
seeth the linen clothes lie ; and the napkin that was 
about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but 
wrapped together in a place by itself 

§ After these things Jesus shewed himself to the disci- 
ples at the sea of Tiberias : and on this wise shewed he 
himself There were together Simon Peter, and Tho- 
mas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, 
and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say 
unto him. We also go with thee. They went forth, and 
entered into a ship immediately ; and that night they 
caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, 
Jesus stood on the shore ; but the disciples knew not 
that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, 
have ye any meat ? They answered him, No. And he 
said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, 
and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they 
were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto 
Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard 
that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, 



John 22 : 1-7—21 : 1-7. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 253 



(for he was naked) and did cast himself into the sea. 
And the other disciples came in a Httle ship (for they 
were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cu- 
bits) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they 
were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and 
fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, 
Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon 
Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great 
fishes, a hundred and fifty and three : and for all there 
were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesu^ saith 
unto them. Come and dine. And none of the disciples 
durst ask him. Who art thou? knowing that it was the 
Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth 
them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that 
Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was 
risen from the dead. 

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 
Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? 
He saith unto him. Yea, Lord : thou knowest that I love 
thee. He saith unto him. Feed my lambs. He saith to 
him again the second time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest^i 
thou me ? He saith unto him. Yea, Lord : thou knowest 
that I love thee. He saith unto him. Feed my sheep. 
He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jo- 
nas,' lovest thou me ? Peter was grieved because he 
said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he 
said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou know- 
est that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 
Verily, verily, I say unto thee. When thou wast young, 
thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou would- 
est : but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth 
thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee 
whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by 
what death he should glorify God. And when he had 
spoken this, he saith unto him. Follow me. 

§ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they 

John 21 : 7-19. Acts 2 : 1. 



254 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly 
there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty 
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of 
fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled 
with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other 
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there 
were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of 
every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised 
abroad, the multitude came together, and were con- 
founded, because that every man heard them speak in 
his own language. And they were all amazed, and mar- 
velled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these 
which speak, Galileans ? And how hear we every man 
in our own tongue, wherein we were born ? Parthians, 
and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopo- 
tamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and 
Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts 
of Libya about Gyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews 
and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them 
speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And 
they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to 
another, What meaneth this? Others mocking, said, 
These men are full of new wine. 

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his 
voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, hear these 
words ; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God 
among you by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which 
God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves 
also know : him, being delivered by the determinate 
counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and 
by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Whom God 
hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death : because 
it was not possible that he should be holden of it. This 
Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. 
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and 



Acts 2 : 2-33. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 255 



having received of the Father the promise of the Holy 
Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and 
hear. 

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in 
their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the 
apostles. Men and brethren, what shall we do ? Then 
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one 
of you in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they that 
gladly received his word, were baptized : and the same 
day there were added unto them about three thousand 
souls. 

§ Now Peter and John went up together into the tem- 
ple, at the hour of prayer. And a certain man lame 
from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid 
daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, 
to ask alms of them that entered into the temple ; who, 
seeing Peter and John, asked an alms. And Peter fast- 
ening his eyes upon him with John, said. Look on us. 
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive some- 
thing of them. 

Then Peter said. Silver and gold have I none ; but 
such as I have give I thee : in the name of Jesus Christ 
of Nazareth, rise up and vv^alk. And he took him by the 
right hand, and lifted him up : and immediately his feet 
and ancle-bones received strength. And he, leaping up, 
stood, and walked, and entered with them into the tem- 
ple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 

And all the people saw him walking and praising God : 
and they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the 
Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with 
wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto 
him. And as the man held Peter and John, all the peo- 
ple ran together unto them in the porch that is called 
Solomon's, greatly wondering. 

§ And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and 
the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon 



Acts 2 : 33-41—3 : 1-11-^ : 1. 



256 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



them, and laid hands on them, and put them in hold 
unto the next day : for it was now even-tide. 

And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, 
and elders, and scribes, and Annas the high priest, and 
as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were 
gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had 
set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by 
what name have ye done this ? Then Peter, filled with 
the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, 
and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the 
good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he 
is made whole ; be it known unto you all, and to all the 
people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of 
Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the 
dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you 
whole. 

Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, 
and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant 
men, they marvelled ; and they took knowledge of them, 
that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man 
which was healed standing with them, they could say 
nothing against it. But when they had commanded them 
to go aside out of the council, they conferred among 
themselves, saying. What shall we do to these men ? for 
that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is 
manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we 
cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among 
the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak 
henceforth to no man in this name. And they called 
them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach 
in the name of Jesus. 

But Peter and John answered and said unto them. 
Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto 
you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but 
speak the things which we have seen and heard. So, 
when they had further threatened them, they let them 

Acts 4 : 3-21. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 257 



go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because 
of the people : for all men glorified God for that which 
was done. 

And being let go, they went to their own company, 
and reported all that the chief priests and elders had 
said unto them. And when they had prayed, the place 
was shaken where they were assembled together ; and 
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake 
the word of God with boldness. 

And the multitude of them that believed were of one 
heart, and of one soul : but they had all things common. 
Neither was there any among them that lacked : for as 
many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, 
and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and 
laid them down at the apostles' feet : and distribution 
was made unto every man according as he had need. 

§ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his 
wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, 
and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' 
feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy 
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of 
the price of the land ? thou hast not lied unto men, but 
unto God. And Ananias hearing these words, fell down, 
and gave up the ghost. And great fear came on all 
them that heard these things. And the young men arose, 
wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 

And it was about the space of three hours after, when 
his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And 
Peter answered unto her. Tell me whether ye sold the 
land for so much ? And she said, Yea, for so much. 
Then Peter said unto her. How is it that ye have agreed 
together to tempt the spirit of the Lord? behold the 
feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the 
door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down 
straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost. And 
the young men came in, and found her dead, and carry- 
Acts 4 : 21-35—5 : 1-10. 



258 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



ing her forth, buried her by her husband. And great 
fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as 
heard these things. 

And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and 
wonders wrought among the people. 

Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were 
with him, and were filled with indignation, and laid their 
hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison- 
doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and 
speak in the temple to the people all the words of this 
hfe. 

And when they heard that, they entered into the tem- 
ple early in the m.orning, and taught. But the high priest 
came, and they that were with him, and called the coun- 
cil together, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 
But when the officers came, and found them not in the 
prison, they returned, and told, saying, The prison truly 
found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing 
without before the doors : but when we had opened, we 
found no man within. 

Then came one and told them, saying. Behold, the 
men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, 
and teaching the people. Then went the captain with 
the officers, and brought them without violence : for they 
feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 

And when they had brought them, the high priest 
asked them, saying. Did not we straitly command you, 
that ye should not teach in this name? and behold, ye 
have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to 
bring this man's blood upon us. 

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, 
We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of 
our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged 
on a tree : him hath God exalted with his right hand to 
be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Is- 



Acts 5 : 10--31. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 259 



rael, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses 
of these things ; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom 
God hath given to them that obey him. 

When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and 
took counsel to slay them. Then stood there up one in 
the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the 
law, had in reputation among all the people, and com- 
manded to put the apostles forth a little space ; and said 
unto them. Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves 
what ye intend to do as touching these men : I say unto 
you, refrain from these men, and let them alone : for if 
this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to 
nought : but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it ; lest 
haply ye be found even to fight against God. And to 
him they agreed : and when they had called the apostles, 
and beaten them, they commanded that they should not 
speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 

And they departed from the presence of the council, 
rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame 
(ov his name. And daily in the temple, and in every 
house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. 

And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all 
quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at 
Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Eneas, 
which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the 
palsy. And Peter said unto him, Eneas, Jesus Christ 
maketh thee whole : arise, and make thy bed. And he 
arose immediately. And all that dwelt in Lydda and 
Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. 

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Ta- 
bitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas ; this 
woman was full of good works and alms deeds which 
she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she 
was sick, and died : whom when they had washed, they 
laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda 
was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Pe- 

Acts 5 : 31-42—9 : 32-38. 



260 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



ter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him 
that he would not delay to come to them. 

Then Peter arose, and went with them. When he was 
come, they brought him into the upper chamber : and ail 
the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats 
and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with 
them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, 
and prayed ; and turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, 
arise. And she opened her eyes : and when she saw 
Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted 
her up ; and when he had called the saints and widows, 
he presented her alive. And it was known throughout 
all Joppa : and many believed in the Lord. And it came 
to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one 
Simon a tanner. 

§ There was a certain man in Cesarea, called Corne- 
lius, a centurion. A devout man, and one that feared 
God with all his house, which gave much alms to the 
people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision 
evidently, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of 
God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said. 
What is it, Lord ? And he said unto him. Thy prayers 
and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 

And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, 
whose surname is Peter : he lodgeth with one Simon a 
tanner, whose house is by the sea-side : he shall tell thee 
what thou oughtest to do. And when the angel which 
spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his 
household servants, and a devout soldier of them that 
waited on him continually ; and when he had declared 
all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. 

On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and 
drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the house- 
top to pray, about the sixth hour : and he became very 
hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made 



Acts 9 : 39-43—10 : 1-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 261 



ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and 
a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a 
great sheet knit at the four corners, and let dov^n to the 
earth : w^herein were all manner of four-footed beasts 
of the earth, and wild beasts and creeping things, and 
fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, 
Peter ; iTill, and eat. But Peter said. Not so. Lord ; for 
I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean, 
And the voice spake unto him again the second time. 
What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 
This was done thrice : and the vessel was received up 
again into heaven. 

Now, while Peter doubted in himself what this vision 
which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which 
were sent from Cornelius stood before the gate, and 
called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed 
Peter, were lodged there. 

While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto 
him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and 
get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing : for 
1 have sent them. Then called he them in, and lodged 
them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, 
and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 
And the morrow after they entered into Cesarea. And 
Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his 
kinsmen and near friends. 

And as Peter w»s coming in, Cornelieus met him, and 
fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter 
took him up, saying, Stand up : I myself also am a man. 
And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many 
that were come together. And Cornelius said, thou 
hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are 
we all here present before God, to hear all things that 
are commanded thee of God. 

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I 
perceive that God is no respecter of persons. 



Acts 10 : 10-34. 



262 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



While Peter spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them 
which heard the word. And they of the circumcision 
which believed, were astonished, as many as came with 
Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the 
gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with 
tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can 
any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, 
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name 
of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain 
days. 

Now about that time, Herod the king, stretched forth 
his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed 
James the brother of John with a sword. And because 
he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take 
Peter also. And when he had apprehended him^ he put 
him in prison, and delivered him to four quarternions of 
soldiers to keep him ; intending after Easter to bring 
him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in 
prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the 
church unto God for him. And when Herod would 
have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleep- 
ing between two soldiers, bound with two chains ; and 
the keepers before the door kept the prison. 

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, 
and a light shined in the prison ; and he smote Peter on 
the side, and raised him up, saying. Arise up quickly. 
And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel 
said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals : and 
so he did. And he saith unto him. Cast thy garment 
about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and fol- 
lowed him, and wist not that it was true which was done 
by the angel ; but thought he saw a vision. When they 
were past the first and the second ward, they came unto 
the. iron gate that leadeth unto the city ; which opened 
to them of his own accord : and they went out, and 

Acts 10 : 44-48—12 : 1-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 263 



passed on through one street ; and forthwith the angel 
departed from him. 

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I 
know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and 
hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from 
all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 



MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. 

And in those days, when the number of the disciples 
was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians 
against the Hebrews, because their widows were neg- 
lected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called 
the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is 
not reason that we should leave the word of God, and 
serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among 
you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost 
and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to 
the ministry of the word. 

And the saying pleased the whole multitude : and they 
chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, 
and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and 
Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch, whom 
they set before the apostles : and when they had prayed, 
they laid their hands on them. And the word of God 
increased ; and the number of the disciples multiplied in 
Jerusalem greatly ; and a great company of the priests 
were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith 
and power, did great wonders and miracles among the 
people. 

Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is 
called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, 
and Alexandrians, and them of Cilicia, and of Asia, dis- 
puting with Stephen. And they were not able to resist 



Acts 12: 10-11—6: 1-10. 



264 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. They 
suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak 
blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the 
scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought 
him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said, 
This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against 
this holy place, and the law : for we have heard him say, 
that this Jesus of "Nazareth shall destroy this place, and 
shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And 
all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw 
his face as it had been the face of an angel. 

Then said the high priest. Are these things so ? And 
he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken : 

Moses said unto the children of Israel, A Prophet shall 
the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, 
like unto me ; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was 
in the church in the wilderness with the angel which 
spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers : 
who received the lively oracles to give unto us : to 
whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from 
them. 

Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, 
ye do always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, 
so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers 
persecuted ? and they have slain them which shewed be- 
fore of the coming of the Just One ; of whom ye have 
been now the betrayers and murderers : who have re- 
ceived the law by the disposition of angels, and have not 
kept it. 

When they heard these things, they were cut to the 
heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But 
he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly 
into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus stand- 
ing on the right hand of God, and said. Behold, I see 
the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the 



Acts 6 : 10-15—7 : 1-56. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 265 



right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud 
voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one 
accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him : 
and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young 
man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned 
Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, re- 
ceive my spirit. And he kneeied down and cried with 
a loud voice. Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And 
when he had said this, he fell asleep. And devout men 
carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamenta- 
tion over him. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF PHILIP. 

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and 
preached Christ unto them. And the people with one 
accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, 
hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. And 
there was great joy in that city. But there was a cer- 
tain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same 
city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, 
giving out that himself was some great one : to whom 
they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, say- 
ing, This man is the great power of God. And to him 
they had regard, because that of long time he had be- 
witched them with sorceries. But when they believed 
Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of 
God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized 
both men and women. Then Simon himself believed 
also : and when he was baptized, he continued with 
Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs 
which were done. 

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem 
heard that Samaria had received the word of God, 
they sent unto them Peter and John : who, when they 



Acts 7 : 57-60—8 : 5-15. 



266 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



were come down, prayed for them that they might receive 
the Holy Ghost. Then laid they their hands on them, 
and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon 
saw that through laying on of the apostle's hands the 
Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, 
Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay 
hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said 
unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou 
hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with 
money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter : 
for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent 
therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if per- 
haps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. 
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and 
in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and 
said. Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these 
things which ye have spoken come upon me. And they, 
when they had testified and preached the word of the 
Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in 
many villages of the Samaritans. 

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying. 
Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way that goeth 
down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he 
arose, and went : and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch 
of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, 
who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to 
Jerusalem for to worship, was returning : and sitting in his 
chariot, read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said 
unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. And 
Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet 
Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 
And he said. How can I, except some man should guide 
me? And he desired Philip that he would come up, and 
sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read 
was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and 
like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not 



Acts 8 : 15-32. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 267 

his mouth : in his humihation his judgment was taken 
away : and who shall declare his generation ? for his life 
is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered 
Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the pro- 
phet this ? of himself, or of some other man ? Then 
Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scrip- 
ture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went 
on their way, they came unto a certain water : and the 
eunuch said, See, here is water ; what doth hinder me 
to be baptized ? And Philip said. If thou believest with 
all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, 
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he 
commanded the chariot to stand still : and they went 
down both into the water, both PhiHp and the eunuch ; 
and he baptized him. And when they were come up out 
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, 
that the eunuch saw him no more : and he went on his 
way rejoicing. But Phihp was found at Azotus : and 
passing through, he preached in all the cities, till he came 
to Cesarea. 



SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF PAUL. 

And they stoned Stephen. And Saul was consenting 
unto his death. And at that time there was a great per- 
secution against the church which was at Jerusalem ; 
and they were all scattered abroad throughout the re- 
gions of Judea and Samaria. As for Saul, he made ha- 
voc of the church, entering into every house, and hahng 
men and women, committed them to prison. 

And Saul breathing out threatnings and slaughter 
against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high 
priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus, that if he 
found any of this way, he might bring them bound unto 
Jerusalem. 



Acts 8 : 32-40—8 : 1-3—9 : 1-2. 



268 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus : and 
suddenly there shined around about him a light from 
heaven : and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice say- 
ing unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? And 
he said, Who art thou, Lord ? And the Lord said, I am 
Jesus w^hom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to 
kick against the pricks. And he trembling, and aston- 
ished, said. Lord, v^^hat wilt thou have me to do ? And 
the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and 
it shall be told thee what thou must do. 

And the men which journeyed with him stood speech- 
less, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul 
arose from the earth ; and when his eyes were opened, 
he saw no man : but they led him by the hand, and 
brought hirfi into Damascus. And he was three days 
without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named 
Ananias ; and in a vision, the Lord said unto him. Arise, 
and go into the street which is called Straight, and in- 
quire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tar- 
sus : for, behold, he prayeth. Then Ananias answered, 
Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much 
evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem : and 
here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind 
all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto 
him. Go thy way : for he is a chosen vessel unto me, 
to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the 
children of Israel. For I will shew him how great 
things he must suffer for my Name's sake. 

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house, 
and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the 
Lord, even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as 
thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive 
thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And im- 
mediately he received sight, and arose, and was bap- 
tized. And when he had received meat, he was 

Acts 9 : 3-19. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 269 



Strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the 
disciples which were at Damascus. 

And straightway he preached Christ in the syna- 
gogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard 
him were amazed, and said. Is not this he that destroyed 
them which called on this Name in Jerusalem, and came 
hither for that intent that he might bring them bound 
unto the chief priests ? 

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath counted me 
faithful, putting me into the ministry ; who before was a 
blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious : but I ob- 
tained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, 
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ; 
of whom I am chief. Howbeit, for this cause I obtain- 
ed mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might &hew forth 
all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should 
hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. But I cer- 
tify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached 
of me, is not after man. For I neither received it of 
man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of 
Jesus Christ: though we, or an angel from heaven, preach 
any other gospel unto you, than that which we have 
preached unto you, let him be accursed. 

But Saul increased the more in strength, and con- 
founded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving 
that this is very Christ. And after many days the 
Jews took counsel to kill him. But their laying wait 
was known of Saul. Then the disciples took him by 
night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. 

And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to 
join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of 
him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Bar- 
nabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and 
declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the 
way, and had preached boldly at Damascus in the name 



Acts 9 : 19-21. 1 Tim. 1 : 12-16. Gal. 1 : 12. Acts 9 : 22-27. 



270 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



of Jesus. And he was with them coming in, and going 
out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of 
the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians : but 
they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren 
knew, they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him 
forth to Tarsus. 

Now they which were scattered abroad upon the per- 
secution that arose about Stephen, travelled as far as 
Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word. 
And the hand of the Lord was with them : and a great 
number believed, and turned unto the Lord. 

Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the 
Church, which was in Jerusalem : and they sent forth 
Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who 
when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, 
and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they 
would cleave unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to 
Tarsus, to seek Saul. And he brought him unto Antioch. 
And a whole year they assembled with the Church, and 
taught much people ; and the disciples were called Chris- 
tians first in Antioch. Then the disciples determined to 
send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea. 
Which also they did, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when 
they had fulfilled their ministry. 

§ Now there were in the Church that was at Antioch, 
certain prophets and teachers : as they ministered to 
the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said. Separate me 
Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have call- 
ed them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and 
laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 

So they departed unto Seleucia, and from thence they 
sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they 
preached the word of God in the Synagogues of the 
Jews. 

And when they had gone through the island unto 



Acts 9 : 27 : 30-11 : 19-30—13 : 1-5. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 271 



Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, with the deputy 
of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man : who 
called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the 
word of God. But Elymas the Sorcerer withstood them, 
seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 

Then Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the 
Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all 
subtilty and mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy 
of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the 
right Ways of the Lord ? And now, behold, the hand of 
the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing 
the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on 
him a mist and a darkness ; and he went about seeking 
some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when 
he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at 
the doctrine of the Lord. 

Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, 
they came to Perga in Pamphylia. But when they de- 
parted from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, 
and went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day. And 
the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, 
Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhorta- 
tion for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and 
beckoning with his hand, said. Men of Israel, and ye 
that fear God, give audience. God hath, according 
to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus. 
To you is the word of this salvation sent. For they 
that dwell at Jerusalem, though they found no cause of 
death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be 
slain. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that 
the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath 
fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath 
raised up Jesus again. 

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, 
the Gentiles besought that these words might be preach- 
ed to them the next sabbath. Now, when the congre- 



Acts 13 : 6-42. 



272 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



gation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious 
proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas ; who speaking 
to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of 
God. 

And the next sabbath-day came almost the whole city 
together to hear the word of God. And the word of 
the Lord was published throughout all the region. But 
the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, 
and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution 
against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of 
their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet 
against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disci- 
ples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost. 

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both 
together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, 
that a great multitude, both of the Jews, and also of the 
Greeks, believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up 
the Gentiles, and made their minds evil-affected against 
the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking 
boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word 
of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done 
by their hands. 

But the multitude of the city was divided: and part 
held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And 
when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, 
and also of the Jews, with their rulers, to use them de- 
spitefully, and to stone them, they w-ere ware of it, 
and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and 
unto the region that lieth round about : and there they 
preached the gospel. 

§ And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in 
his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who 
never had walked. The same heard Paul speak : who 
steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had 
faith to be healed, said with a loud voice. Stand upright 
on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when 



Acts 13 : 42-52—14 : 1- 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 273 



the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their 
voices, saying, in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods 
are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they 
called Barnabas, Jupiter ; and Paul, Mercurius, because 
he was the chief speaker. 

Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their 
city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and 
would have done sacrifice with the people. Which 
when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they 
rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying 
out, and saying. Sirs, why do ye these things ? We also 
are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you, 
that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living 
God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and 
all things that are therein. And with these sayings 
scarce restrained they the people, that they had not 
done sacrifice unto them. 

And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch, 
and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having 
stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had 
been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about 
him, he rose up, and came into the city : and the next 
day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when 
they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught 
many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, 
and to Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples. 

And when they had ordained them elders in every 
church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended 
them to the Lord, on whom they believed. And after 
they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pam- 
phylia. And when they had preached the word in Per- 
ga, they went down into Attalia : and thence sailed to 
Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to 
the grace of God, for the work which they fulfilled. 
And when they were come, and had gathered the church 
together, they rehearsed all that God had done with 



Acts 14 : 9-26. 



274 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto 
the Gentiles. And there they abode long time with the 
disciples. 

§ And certain men which came down from Judea, 
taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised 
after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When 
therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and 
disputation with them, they determined that Paul and 
Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to 
Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this ques- 
tion. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they 
were received of the church, and of the apostles and 
elders, and they declared all things that God hath done 
with them. 

And they wrote letters by them after this manner ; 
The apostles, and elders, and brethren, send greeting 
unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, 
and Syria, and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard, 
that certain which went out from us, have troubled you 
with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be 
circumcised, and keep the law ; to whom we gave no 
such commandment. It seemed good to the Holy 
Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than 
these necessary things ; that ye abstain from meats offer- 
ed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, 
and from fornication : from which if ye keep yourselves, 
ye shall do well. Fare ye well. So they came to An- 
tioch : and when they had gathered the multitude toge- 
ther, they delivered the epistle. Which when they had 
read, they rejoiced for the consolation. Paul also and 
Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching 
the word of the Lord, with many others also. 

And some days after, Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us 
go again and visit our brethren, in every city where we 
have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they 
do : and Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 275 



And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended 
by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went 
through Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches. 

§ Then came he to Derbe and Lystra : and as they 
went through the cities, they delivered them the de- 
crees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles 
and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the 
churches established in the faith, and increased in num- 
ber daily. Now, when they had gone throughout Phrygia, 
and the region of Galatia, they passing by Mysia, came 
down to Troas. 

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night : There 
stood a man of Macedonia, and praj^d him, saying, 
Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And immedi- 
ately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia. Therefore 
loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to 
Samothracia, and the next day to NeapoHs ; and from 
thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of 
Macedonia, and a colony : and we were in that city 
abiding certain days. 

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river 
side, where prayer was wont to be made ; and we sat 
down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, 
of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us : 
whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the 
things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was 
baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If 
ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into 
my house, and abide there : and she constrained us. 

And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain 
damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, met us, 
which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying : 
the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying. These 
men are the servants of the most high God, which shew 
unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many 



Acts 15 : 36-41- 



276 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



days. But Paul being grieved, turned and said to the 
spirit, I comn^and thee in the name of Jesus Christ to 
come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains 
was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them 
into the market-place. And the multitude rose up to- 
gether against them : and the magistrates when they 
had laid many stripes upon them, cast them into prison, 
charging the jailer to keep them safely : who thrust 
them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in 
the stocks. 

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang 
praises unto G<?8 : and the prisoners heard them. And 
suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foun- 
dations of the prison were shaken : and immediately all 
the doors were opened, and every one's bands were 
loosed. 

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, 
and seeing the prison doors open, drew out his sword, 
and would have killed himself^ supposing that the pri- 
soners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, 
saying. Do thyself no harm : for we are all here. Then 
he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, 
and fell down before Paul and Silas : and brought them 
out, and said. Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? And 
they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him 
the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 

And he took them the same hour of the night, and 
washed their stripes ; and was baptized, he and all his, 
straightway. And when he had brought them into his 
house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in 
God with all his house. 

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the ser- 
geants, saying. Let those men go. And the keeper of the 
prison told this saying to Paul ; but Paul said. They have 



Acts 16 : 17-35. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 277 



beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have 
cast us into prison : and now do they thrust us out 
privily ? nay verily ; but let them come themselves and 
fetch us out. 

And the sergeants told these vrords unto the magis- 
trates : and they feared when they heard that they were 
Romans. And they came and besought them, and 
brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the 
city. And they w^ent out of the prison, and entered into 
the house of Lydia : and when they had seen the 
brethren, they comforted them, and departed. 

§ Now when they had passed through Amphipolis, 
and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a 
synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, 
went in unto them, and three sabbath-days reasoned with 
them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging that 
Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from 
the dead ; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, 
is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted 
w^ith Paul and Silas : and of the devout Greeks a great 
multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 

But the Jews which beHeved not, moved with envy, 
took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, 
and gathered a company, and set all the city on an up- 
roar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to 
bring them out to the people. And when they found 
them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the 
rulers of the city, crying. These that have turned the 
world upside down, are come hither also ; whom Jason 
hath received : and these all do contrary to the decrees 
of Cesar, saying, that there is another king, one Jesus. 
And when they had taken security of Jason and of the 
other, they let them go. 

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and 
Silas by night unto Berea : who coming thither went into 
the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble 



Acts 16 : 37-40—17 : 1-10. 



278 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the 
word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scrip- 
tures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore 
many of them believed ; also of honourable women which 
were Greeks, and of men not a few. 

But the Jews of Thessalonica came thither also, and 
stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren 
sent away Paul, to go as it were to the sea : but Silas 
and Timotheus abode -there still. And they that con- 
ducted Paul brought him unto Athens. 

Now, while Paul waited at Athens, his spirit was stirred 
in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 
Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, 
and with the devout persons, and in the market daily 
with them that met with him. Then they took him, and 
brought him unto Areopagus, saying. May we know 
what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is ? For 
thou bringest certain strange things to our ears ; we 
would know therefore what these things mean. 

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars-hill, and said, 
Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too 
superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your de- 
votions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE 
UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly 
worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the 
world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of 
heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with 
hands ; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though 
he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and 
breath, and all things ; and hath made of one blood all 
nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, 
and hath determined the times before appointed, and the 
bounds of their habitation ; that they should seek the 
Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, 
though he be not far from every one of us : for in him 
we live, and move, and have our being ; as certain also 



Acts 17 : 12-28. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 279 



of your own poets have said, For we are also his off- 
spring. 

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we 
ought not to think that the Godhead is hke unto gold, or 
silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And 
the times of this ignorance God winked at ; but now 
commandeth all men every where to repent : because he 
hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the 
world in righteousness, by that* man whom he hath or- 
dained : whereo he hath given assurance unto all men, 
in that he hath raised him from the dead. 

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, 
some mocked : and others said. We will hear thee again 
of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. 
Howbeit, certain men clave unto him, and beheved. 

§ After these things, Paul departed from Athens, and 
came to Corinth, and he reasoned in the synagogue every 
sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 

And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Ma- 
cedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to 
the Jews, that Jesus was Christ. And when they blas- 
phemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your 
blood be upon your own heads : from henceforth I will 
go unto the Gentiles. 

And he entered into a certain man's house, named 
Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined 
hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of 
the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house ; 
and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were 
baptized. 

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, 
Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace : for I 
am with thee, and no man shall set on thee, to hurt thee : 
for I have much people in this city. And he continued 
there a year and six months, teaching the word of God 
among them. 



Acts 17 : 29-34—18 : l-ll. 



280 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews 
made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and 
brought him to the judgment-seat, saying, This fellow 
persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 
And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio 
said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong, or 
wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should 
bear with you : but if it be a question of words and 
names, and of your law, look ye to it : for I will be no 
judge of such matters. And he drave them from the 
judgment-seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the 
chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the 
judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. 

And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, 
and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence 
into Syria, and he came to Ephesus, and entered into the 
synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 

When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, 
he consented not : but bade themTarewell, saying, I must 
by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem : 
but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he 
sailed from Ephesus. And when he had landed at Ce- 
sarea, and gone up and saluted the church, he went down 
to Antioch. And after he had spent some time there, he 
departed and went over all the country of Galatia and 
Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. 

And Paul having passed through the upper coasts, 
came to Ephesus. 

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for 
the space of three months, disputing and persuading the 
things concerning the kingdom of God, But when divers 
were hardened, he separated the disciples, disputing daily 
in the school of one Tyrannus. 

And this continued by the space of two years ; so that 
all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord 
Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special 



Acts 18 : 12-23—19 : 1-10. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 281 



miracles by the hands of Paul : so that from his body 
were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs, or aprons, and 
the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits 
went out of them. 

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took 
upon them to call over them which had evil spirits, the 
name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus 
whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of 
one Sceva a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 
And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and 
Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom 
the evil spirit was, leaped on them, and overcame them, 
so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 
And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also 
dwelling at Ephesus : and fear felt on them all, and the 
name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 

And many that believed came, and confessed, and 
shewed their deeds. Many also of them which used 
curious arts, brought their books together, and burned 
them ; and they counted the price of them, and found it 
fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the 
word of God, and prevailed. And the same time there 
arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man 
named Demetrius, which made silver shrines for Diana, 
brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he 
called together with the workmen of like occupation, and 
said. Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth ; 
moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, 
but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded 
and turned away much people, saying, that they be no 
gods which are made with hands. So that not only this 
our craft is in danger to be set at nought ; but also that 
the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, 
and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all 
Asia, and the world worshippeth. 

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of 



Acts 19 : U-28. 



282 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



wrath, and cried out, saying. Great is Diana of the 
Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confu- 
sion : and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's 
companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into 
the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in 
unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And 
certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent 
unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure him- 
self into the theatre. 

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: 
for the assembly was confused, and the more part knew 
not wherefore they were come together. And' they 
drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting 
him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, 
and would have made his defence unto the people. 

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one 
voice about the space of two hours cried out. Great is 
Diana of the Ephesians. And when the town-clerk had 
appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what 
man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the 
Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, 
and of the image which fell down from Jupiter ? Seeing 
then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye 
ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. 

Wherefore, if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are 
with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, 
and there are deputies : let them implead one another. 
But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it 
shall be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are 
in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, 
there being no cause whereby we may give an account 
of this concourse. And when he had thus spoken, he 
dismissed the assembly. 

And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him 
the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go 
into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those 



Acts 19 : 29--41, 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 283 



parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came 
into Greece, and there abode three months. Andwhen 
the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail 
into Syria, he purposed to return thraugh Macedonia. 
And we sailed away from Philippi, after the days of un- 
leavened bread, and came to Troas in five days ; where 
we abode seven days. 

And upon the first day of the week, when the disci- 
ples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto 
them until midnight. And there were many lights in 
the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 
And there sat in a window a certain young man named 
Eutychus ; and he sunk down with sleep, and fell down 
from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul 
went down, and fell on him, and embracing him, said, 
Trouble not yourselves ; for his -life is in him. 

When he therefore was come up again, and had bro- 
ken bread, and eaten, and talked till break of day, he 
departed. And they brought the young man alive, and 
were not a little comforted. 

And we came to Mitylene. And we sailed thence, 
and came the next day over against Chios ; and the next 
day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium ; 
and the next day we came to Myletus. 

§ And from Myletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the 
elders of the church. And when they were come to 
him, he said unto them. Ye know, from the first day 
that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been 
with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all hu- 
mility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, 
which befell me by the laying in wait of the Jews : and 
how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, 
but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and 
from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and 
also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith 
toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 



Acts 20 : 2-21. 



284 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And now behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusa- 
lem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there : 
save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, say- 
ing, that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of 
these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto 
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and 
the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to 
testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, 
ye shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you 
to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all 
men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the 
counsel of God ; by the space of three years I ceased 
not to warn every one night and day with tears. I have 
coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye 
yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto 
my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have 
shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to 
support the weak, and to remember the words of the 
Lord Jesus, how he said. It is more blessed to give than 
to receive. 

And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and 
prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell 
on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for 
the words which he spake, that they should see his face 
no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship. 

And after we were gotten from them, and had launch- 
ed, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the 
day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Pa- 
tara : and finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we 
went aboard, and set forth. Now when we had dis- 
covered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed 
into Syria, and landed at Tyre : for there the ship was 
to unlade her burden. And finding disciples, we tarried 
there seven days : who said to Paul through the Spirit, 
that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 

And they all brought us on our way, with wives and 



Acts 20 : 25-38—21 : 1-5. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 285 

children, till we were out of the city : and we kneeled 
down on the shore, and prayed. And when we had 
taken our leave one of another, we took ship ; and came 
to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with 
them one day. And the next day we came unto Cesa- 
rea ; and as we tarried there many days, there came 
down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 
And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, 
and bound his own hands and feet, and said. Thus saith 
the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the 
man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into 
the hands of the Gentiles. 

And when we heard these things, both we and they 
of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 
Then Paul answered. What mean ye to weep and to 
break mine heart ? for I am ready, not to be bound only, 
but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord 
Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceas- 
ed, saying. The will of the Lord be done. 

§ And we went up to Jerusalem, and the brethren re- 
ceived us gladly. And the day following Paul went in 
with us unto James, and all the elders were present. 
And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly 
what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by 
his ministry. 

And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and 
said unto him. Thou seest, brother, how many thousands 
of Jews there are which believe, and they are all zeal- 
ous of the law. And they are informed of thee, that 
thou teachest Jews to forsake Moses, saying, that they 
ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk 
after the customs. Do therefore this : We have four 
men which have a vow on them ; them take, and pu- 
rify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, 
that they may shave their heads : and all may know 
that thou walkest orderly, and keepest the law. 



Acts 21 : 5-24. 



286 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying 
himself with them, entered into the temple, and the Jews, 
which were of Asia stirred up all the people, and laid 
hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help. This is 
the man that teacheth all men every where against the 
people, and the law, and this place ; and further, brought 
Greeks also into the temple ; and hath polluted this holy 
place. And all the city was moved, and the people ran 
together : and they took Paul and drew him out of the 
temple. And forthwith the doors were shut. 

And tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, 
that all Jerusalem was in an uproar ; who immediately 
took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them. 
And when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, 
they left beating of Paul. Then the chief captain took 
him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains : 
and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And 
some cried one thing, some another : and when he could 
not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded 
him to be carried into the castle. And when he came 
upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the sol- 
diers, for the violence of the people. 

And as Paul w^as to be led into the castle, he said unto 
the chief captain, I beseech thee suffer me to speak unto 
the people. And when he had given him license, Paul 
stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the 
people. And when there was made a great silence, he 
spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, and they gave 
him audience, and then lifted up their voices, and said. 
Away with such a fellow from the earth : for it is not fit 
that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off 
their clothes, and threw dust into the air, the chief 
captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, 
and bade that he should be examined by scourging ; that 
he might know wherefore they cried so against him. 

And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the 



Acts 21 : 26-40—22 : 22-25. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 287 

centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a 
man that is a Roman, and uncondemned ? When the 
centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, 
saying. Take heed what thou doest ; for this man is a 
Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said unto 
him. Tell me, art thou a Roman ? He said. Yea. And 
the chief captain answered. With a great sum obtained 
I this freedom. And Paul said. But I was freeborn. 
Then straightway they departed from him which should 
have examined him : and the chief captain also was 
afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because 
he had bound him. On the morrow he loosed him from 
his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their 
council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him 
before them. 

§ And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said. Men 
and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before 
God until this day. And the high priest Ananias com- 
manded them that stood by him, to smite him on the 
mouth. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, 
thou whited wall : for sittest thou to judge me after the 
law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the 
law? And they that stood by, said, Revilest thou God's 
high priest ? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that 
he was the high priest : for it is written. Thou shalt not 
speak evil of the ruler of thy people. But when Paul 
perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the 
other Pharisees, he cried out in the council. Men and 
brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee : of the 
hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in ques- 
tion. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension 
between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. 

And the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have 
been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers 
to go down, and to take him by force from among them, 
and to bring him into the castle. And the night follow- 



Acts 22 : 25-30—23 : 1-10. 



288 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



ing the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, 
Paul : for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so 
must thou bear witness also at Rome. And when it was 
day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound 
themselves under a curse, saying, that they would neither 
eat nor drink, till they had killed Paul. And they were 
more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And 
they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, sig- 
nify to the chief captain, that he bring him down unto 
you to-morrow, as though ye would inquire something 
more perfectly concerning him : and we, or ever he 
come near, are ready to kill him. 

And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in 
wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. 
Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and 
said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain ; for 
he hath a certain thing to tell him. So he brought him 
to the chief captain. Then the chief captain went with 
him aside privately, and asked him. What is that thou 
hast to tell me ? And he said. The Jews have agreed to 
desire thee, that thou wouldest bring down Paul to-mor- 
row into the council, but there lie in wait for him of them 
more than forty men, which have bound themselves with 
an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink tiH- they have 
killed him. So the chief captain charged him> Tell no 
man that thou hast shewed these things to me. 

And he called two centurions, saying, Make ready two 
hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsemen three- 
score and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third 
hour of the night ; and provide them beasts, that they 
may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the gov- 
ernor. Who, when they came to Cesarea to the gov- 
ernor, presented Paul before him. And the governor 
asked of what province he was. And when he under- 
stood that he was of Cilicia ; I will hear thee, said he, 
when thine accusers are also come. 



Acts 23 : 11-35. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 289 



§ And after five days, Ananias the high priest descended 
with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertul- 
lus, who informed the governor against Paul. Then 
Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to 
speak, answered, and Felix, having more perfect know- 
ledge of that way, deferred them and said, When Lysias 
the chief captain shall come down, I will know the utter- 
most of your matter. And he commanded a centurion 
to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he 
should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister, or 
come unto him. 

And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife 
Drusilla, which was a Jew, he sent for Paul, and heard 
him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned 
of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, 
Felix trembled and answered, Go thy way for this time, 
when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. 
He hoped also that money should have been given him 
of Paul, that he might loose him : wherefore he sent for 
him the oftener, and communed with him. But after 
two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room : and 
Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul 
bound. 

Now when Festus was come into the province, after 
three days he ascended from Cesarea to Jerusalem. 
Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed 
him against Paul, and besought him, that he would send 
him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. 
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cesa- 
rea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. 
Let them, therefore, said he, which among you are able, 
go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any 
wickedness in him. 

And when he had tarried among them more than ten 
days, he went down unto Cesarea ; and the next day sit- 
ting on the judgment-seat commanded Paul to be brought. 



Acts 24 : 1-27—26 : 1-6. 



290 SCRirTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And when he was come, the Jews which came down 
from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and 
grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not 
prove : while he answered for himself, Neither against 
the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet 
against Cesar have I offended any thing at all. But 
Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, 
and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be 
judged of these things beore me ? Then said Paul, I 
appeal unto Cesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred 
with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto 
Cesar ? unto Cesar shalt thou go. 

And after certain days, king Agrippa and Bernice 
came unto Cesarea, to salute Festus, and Festus de- 
clared Paul's cause unto the king. Then Agrippa said unto 
Festus, I would also hear the man myself To-morrow, 
said he, thou shalt hear him. And on the morrow when 
Agrippa was come and Bernice, with great pomp, and 
was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief 
captains, and principal men of the city ; at Festus' com- 
mandment Paul was brought forth. 

§ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to 
speak for thyself Then Paul stretched forth the hand, 
and answered for himself: I think myself happy, king 
Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day be- 
fore thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused 
of the Jews : especially, because I know thee to be ex- 
pert in all customs and questions which are among the 
Jews : wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first 
among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews, 
which knew me from the beginning, that after the most 
straitest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee. 

And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the 
promise made of God unto our fathers : unto which pro- 
mise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and 



Acts 25 : 7—23 : 26 : 1-7. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 291 



night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king 
Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be 
thought a thing incredible with you, that God should 
raise the dead ? 

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many 
things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem : and many of the 
saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority 
from the chief priests ; and when they were put to death, 
I gave my voice against them. And I punished them 
oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blas- 
pheme ; and being exceedingly mad against them, I per- 
secuted them even unto strange cities. 

Whereupon, as I went to Damascus, with authority 
and commission from the chief priests, at mid-day, O 
king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the 
brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them 
which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen 
to the earth, I heard a voi-ce speaking unto me, and say- 
ing in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest 
thou me ! It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 
And I said. Who art thou. Lord ? And he said, I am 
Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon 
thy feet : for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, 
to make thee a minister and a witness both of these 
things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the 
which I will appear unto thee ; delivering thee from the 
people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send 
thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness 
to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that 
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance 
among them which are sanctified by faith that is- in me. 

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient 
unto the heavenly vision : but shewed first unto them of 
Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the 
coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they 

Acts 26 : 17-20. 



292 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for 
repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in 
the temple, and went about to kill me. Having there- 
fore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, wit- 
nessing both to small and great, saying none other things 
than those which the prophets and Moses did say' should 
come : that Christ should suffer, and that he should be 
the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew 
light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a 
loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning 
doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most 
noble Festus ; but speak forth the words of truth and 
soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before 
whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that 
none of these things are hidden from him ; for this thing 
was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou 
the prophets ? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa 
said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Chris- 
tian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, 
but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and 
altogether such as I am, except these bonds. 

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the 
governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them. And 
when they were gone aside, they talked between them- 
selves, saying. This man doeth nothing worthy of death, 
or of bonds. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man 
might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed 
unto Cesar. 

§ And when it was determined, that we should sail into 
Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners 
unto one named Julius, a centurion of Agustus' band. 
And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, 
meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia, and the next day 
we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated 
Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to re- 
Acts 26 : 20-32—27 : 1-3. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 293 



fresh himself. And when we had launched from thence, 
we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were con- 
trary. And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia 
and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, of Lycia. And there 
the centurion found a ship sailing into Italy : and he put 
us therein. 

And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce 
were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering 
us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone : and 
hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called, The 
Fair Havens. When sailing was now dangerous, because 
the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 
and said, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with much 
damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our 
lives. Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master 
and the owner of the ship more than those things which 
were spoken by Paul. 

And when the south wind blew softly, loosing thence, 
they sailed close by Crete. But there arose a tempes- 
tuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was 
caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her 
drive. And running under a certain island which is 
called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat : 
which when they had taken up, they used helps, under- 
girding the ship ; and fearing lest they should fall into 
the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. And the 
next day they lightened the ship ; and the third day we 
cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appear- 
ed, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we 
should be saved was then taken away. But after long 
abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and 
said. Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not 
have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm 
and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer : 
for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you. 



Acts 27 : 3-22. 



^94 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the 
angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying. 
Fear not, Paul ; thou must be brought before Cesar : 
and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 
Howbeit, we must be cast upon a certain island. 

But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were 
driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the ship- 
men sounded, and found it twenty fathoms : and when 
they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and 
found it fifteen fathoms. Then fearing lest they should 
have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the 
stern, and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were 
about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the 
boat into the sea, under colour as though they would 
have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the 
centurion, and to the soldiers. Except these abide in the 
ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the 
ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. 

And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them 
all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day 
that ye have continued fasting. Wherefore I pray you 
to take some meat ; for this is for your health ; for there 
shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you. And 
he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of 
them all ; and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 
Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took 
some meat. And we were in all in the ship two hundred 
threescore and sixteen souls. And when they had eaten 
enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat 
into the sea. 

And when it was day, they knew not the land : but 
they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the 
which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in 
the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they 
committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder- 
bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made 



Acts 27 : 23-40. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 295 



toward shore. And falling into a place where two seas 
met, they ran the ship aground ; and the forepart stuck 
fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was 
broken with the violence of the waves. And the soldiers' 
counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should 
escape. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept 
them from their purpose, and commanded that they 
which could swim, should cast themselves first into the 
sea, and get to land : and the rest, some on boards, and 
some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to 
pass, that they escaped all safe to land. 

§ And when they were escaped, then they knew that 
the island was called Melita. And the barbarous people 
shewed us no little kindness : for they kindled a fire, and 
received us every one, because of the present rain, and 
because of the cold. And w^hen Paul had gathered a 
bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a 
viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And 
when the barbarians saw^ the venomous beast hang on 
his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this 
man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the 
sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook 
off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit, 
they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down 
dead suddenly : but after they had looked a great while, 
and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, 
and said that he was a god. 

In the same quarters were possessions of the chief 
man of the island, w^hose name w^as Publius ; who re- 
ceived us, and lodged us three days courteously. And 
it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick : to 
whom Paul entered in, and prayed and laid his hands on 
him, and healed him. So when this was done, others 
also which had diseases in the island, came, and were 
healed : who also honoured us with many honours, and 
when we departed, laded us with such things as were 



Acts 27 : 41-44— 2S : 1-10. 



296 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



necessary. And after three months we departed in a 
ship of Alexandria, and landing at vSyracuse, we tarried 
there three days. And from thence we fetched a com- 
pass, and came to Rhegium : and the next day to Pute- 
oli : where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry 
with them seven days : and so we went toward Rome. 

And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they 
came to meet us as far as Appii-forum, and The Three 
Taverns ; whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and 
took courage. And when we came to Rome, the centu- 
rion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard : 
but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself, wath a soldier 
that kept him. 

And it came to pass, that after three days, Paul called 
the chief of the Jews together. And he said unto them. 
Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing 
against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I 
delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the 
Romans : who when they had examined me, would have 
let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. 
But when the Jews spake against it, I w^as constrained 
to appeal unto Cesar ; not that I had aught to accuse my 
nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for 
you, to see you, and to speak with you : because that for 
the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. And they 
said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judea 
concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came 
shewed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to 
hear of thee, what thou thinkest : for "as concerning this 
sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. 

And when they had appointed him a day, there came 
many to him into his lodging ; to whom he expounded 
and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them con- 
cerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of 
the prophets, from morning till evening. And some be- 
lieved the things which were spoken, and some believed 



Acts 28 : 11-24. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 297 



not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they 
departed, and Paul dwelt two whole years in his own 
hired house, and received all that came in unto him. 
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things 
which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, 
no man forbidding him. 

§ If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof 
he might trust in the flesh, I more : circumcised the 
eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of 
Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews ; as touching 
the law, a Pharisee ; concerning zeal, persecuting the 
church ; touching the righteousness which is in the law, 
blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I 
counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all 
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of 
Christ Jesus my Lord : for whom I have suffered the loss 
of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may 
win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own 
righteousness which is of the law, but that which is 
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of 
God by faith : that I may know him, and the power of 
his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, be- 
ing made conformable unto his death ; if by any means 
I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

Whereinsoever any is bold, I am bold also. Are they 
Hebrews ? so am I. Are they Israelites ? so am I. Are 
they the seed of Abraham ? so am I. Are they ministers 
of Christ ? I am more ; in labours more abundant, in 
stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in 
deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty 
stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once 
was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a 
day I have been in the deep ; in journeyings often, in 
perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine 
own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in 
the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, 

Acts 28 : 25-31. Phil. 3 : 4-11. 2 Cor. 11 : 21-27. 



298 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



in perils among false brethren ; in weariness and pain- 
fulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fast- 
ings often, in cold and nakedness. 

Besides those things that are without, that which 
Cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 
Who is weak, and I am not weak ? who is offended, and 
I burn not ? I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, 
in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's 
sake : for when I am weak, then am I strong. 

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the 
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : 
for whom I have suflfered the loss of all things, and do 
count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be 
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which 
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of 
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith : that 
I may know him, q^nd the power of his resurrection, and 
the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable 
unto his death ; if by any means I might attain unto the 
resurrection of the dead. Not as though 1 had already 
attained, either were already perfect : but I follow after, 
if that I may apprehend that for which also I am appre- 
hended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to 
have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting 
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto 
those things which are before, I press toward the mark 
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I 
live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour : yet what 
I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt 
two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ ; 
which is far better. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall 
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or na- 
kedness, or peril, or sword ? As it is written, For thy 
sake we are killed all the day long ; we are accounted as 



2 Cor. 11 : 26-29—12 : 10 Phil. 3 : 14—1 : 21-23. Rom. 8 : 35-39. 2 Cor. 5 : 1-8. 



HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 299 

sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are 
more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I 
am persuaded, that neither death, nor Hfe, nor angels, 
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor 
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other 
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of 
God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

For we know that if our earthly house of this taber- 
nacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house 
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Therefore 
we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at 
home in the body, we are absent from the Lord : we are 
confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the 
body, and to be present with the Lord. 

Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the 
first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came 
death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be 
made aHve. But every man in his own order : Christ 
the first-fruits ; afterward they that are Christ's at his 
coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have de- 
livered up the kingdom to God, even the Father ; when 
he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and 
power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies 
under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed 
is death. 

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up ? 
and with what body do they come ? Thou fool, that 
which thou sowest is not quickened except it die : and 
that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that 
shall be, but bare grain ; it may chance of wheat or of 
some other grain : but God giveth it a body as it hath 
pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in 
corruption, it is raised in incorruption : it is sown in dis- 
honour, it is raised in glory : it is sown in weakness, it is 



1 Cor. 15 : 20-57. 



300 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



raised in power : it is sown a natural body, it is raised a 
spiritual body. For this corruptible must put on incor- 
ruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So 
when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and 
this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be 
brought to pass the saying that is written. Death is swal- 
lowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting ? O 
grave, where is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin ; 
and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, 
which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

For I am now ready to be otTered, and the time of my 
departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have 
finished my course, I have kept the faith : henceforth 
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which 
the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that 
day : and not to me only, but unto all them also that 
love his appearing. 



2 Tim. 4 : 6-8. 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER 

PART THIRD. 
POETICAL. 

HABAKKUK. 

God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. 
His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 

And his brightness was as the light ; 

He had horns coming out of his hand ; 

And there was the hiding of his power. 

Before him went the pestilence, 

And burning coals' went forth at his feet. 

He stood, and measured the earth : 

He beheld, and drove asunder the nations ; 

And the everlasting mountains were scattered, 
The perpetual hills did bow : 
His ways are everlasting. 

I saw the tents of Cushan in aiBiction : 

And the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 

Was the Lord displeased against the rivers ? 
Was thine anger against the rivers ? was thy wrath against the sea, 
That thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation ? 

Thy bow was made quite naked. 
According to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. 

Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. 

The mountains saw thee, and they trembled : 

The overflowing of the water passed by : 
The deep uttered his voice, 
And lifted up his hands on high. 

The sun and moon stood still in their habitation : 

At the light of thine arrows they went, 

And at the shining of thy glittering spear. 

Thou didst march through the land in indignation, 

Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. 

Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, 

Even for salvation with thine anointed ; 



302 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, 

By discovering the foundation unto tlio neck. 

Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages : 
They came out as a whirlwind to scatter me : 
Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly. 
Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses. 
Through the heap of great waters. 

When 1 heard, my lips quivered at the voice : 

Rottenness entered into my bones, 

And I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble ; 
When he cometh up unto the people, 
He will invade them with his troops. 
Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, 
Neither shall fruit be in the vines ; 
The labor of the olive shall fail, 
And the fields shall yield no meat ; 
The flock shall be cut off from the fold, 
And there shall be no herd in the stalls : 
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, 
I will joy in the God of my salvation. 



ISAIAH. 

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; 
And the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing : 
The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, tho excellency of Carmel and 

Sharon, 
They shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. 
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 
Say to them that are of a fearful heart. Be strong, fear not : 
Behold, your God will come with vengeance, 
Even God with a recompense ; 
He will come and save you. 
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, 
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart. 
And the tongue of the dumb shall sing : 
For in the wilderness shall waters break out, 

And streams in the desert. 
And tho parched ground shall become a pool, 
And the thirsty land springs of water : 
In the habitation of dragons, where each lay. 
Shall be grass with reeds and rushes. > 

And an highway shall be there, and a way, 
And it shall be called, The way of holiness ; 
The miclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those : 



POETICAL. 303 



The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 
No lion shall be there. 
Nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, 

It shall not be found there ; 
But the redeemed shall walk there : 
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, 
And come up to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads : 
They shall obtain joy and gladness, 
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, 
That her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned : 
For she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. 
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the 
Lord, 
Make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. 
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be maae low : 
And the crooked shall bo made straight, and the rough places plain : 
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, 

And all flesh shall see it together : 
For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 
The voice said. Cry. And he said, What shall I cry ? 
All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field : 
The grass wi there th, the flower fadeth : 
Because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it : 
Surely the people is grass. 
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth : 
But the word of our God shall stand for ever. 
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain ; 
O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength ; 
Lift it up, be not afraid ; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God ! 
Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule 
for him : 
Behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: 
He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, 
And shall gently lead those that are with young. 
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, 

And meted out heaven with the span. 
And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure. 
And weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 
Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord, 
Or being his counsellor hath taught him ? 
With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, 
And taught him in the path of judgment. 
And taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of imderstanding ? 
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket. 
And are counted as the small dust of the balance : 



304 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. 

And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, 
Nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering. 

All nations before him are as nothing ; 
And they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. 
To whom then will ye liken God ? 
Have ye not known ? have ye not heard ? 
Hath it not been told you from the beginning ? 
Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth ? 
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, 
And the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers ; 
That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain. 
And spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell m : 

That bringeth the princes to nothing ; 
He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. 
Yea, they shall not be planted ; yea, they shall not bo sown : 
Yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth : 
And he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, 
And the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. 
To whom then will ye liken me. 
Or shall I be equal ? saith the Holy One. 
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, 
That bringeth out their host by number : he calleth them all by names, 
By the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power ; not one faileth. 
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, 
My way is hid from the Lord, 
And my judgment is passed over from my God? 
Hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard, 
That the everlasting God, the Lord, 
The Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary ? 
There is no searching of his miderstanding. 
He giveth power to the faint ; 
And to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 
Even the youths shall faint and be weary. 
And the young men shall utterly fall : 
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; 
They shall mount up with wings as eagles ; 
They shall run, and not be weary ; 
And they shall walk, and not faint. 

Awake, awake ; put on thy strength, O Zion ; 
Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city : 
For henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and 

the unclean. 
Shake thyself from the dust ; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem : 
Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 
For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought ; 
And ye shall be redeemed without money. 
For thus saith the Lord God, 



POETICAL. 305 



My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there : 

And the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 

Now tlierefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, 

That my people is taken away for nought ? 
They that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord : 

And my name continually every day is blasphemed. 

Therefore my people shall know my name : 

Therefore they shall know in that day 

That I am he that doth speak : behold, it is I. 
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, 

That publisheth peace ; 
That bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation ; 

That saith unto Zion, Thy God reign eth ! 

The watchmen shall lift up the voice ; 

With the voice together shall they sing : 
For they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. 
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem : 
For the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 
The Lord hath made bare his holy ^m in the eyes of all the nations : 
And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 

Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence. 

Touch no unclean thing ; go ye out of the midst of her ; 

Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord. 

For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight : 
For the Lord will go before you ; and the God of Israel will be your reward. 

Behold, my servant shall deal prudently. 

Ye shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 
As many were astonished at thee ; 
His visage was so marred more than any man, 
And his form more than the sons of men : 
So shall he sprinkle many nations ; 
The kings shall shut their mouths at him : 

For that which had not been told them shall they see ; 

And that which they had not heard shall they consider. 
Who hath believed our report ? 

And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, 
And as a root out of a dry ground : he hath no form nor comeliness ; 
And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire hira. 

He is despised and rejected of men ; 

A nmn of sorrows, and acquainted with grief ; 

And we hid as it were our faces from him ; 

He was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows : 
Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was wounded for our transgressions, 

He was bruised for our iniquities : 

The chastisement of our peace was upon him ; 



306 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



And with his stripes we are healed. 
All we, like sheep, have gone astray ; 
We have turned every one to his own way ; 
And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth : 
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, 
And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb. 
So he openeth not his mouth. 
He was taken from prison and from judgment 
And who shall declare his generation ? 
For he was cut^ofF out of the land of the living : 
For the transgression of my people was he stricken. 
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death ; 
Because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him ; he hath put him to grief: 
When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, 
He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days. 
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied : 
By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many ; for he shall 
bear their iniquities. 
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, 
And he shall divide the spoil with the strong ; 
Because he hath poured out his soul unto death : 
And he was numbered with the transgressors ; 
And he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, 

And he that hath no money ; come ye, buy, and eat ; 
Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? 

And your labor for that which satisfieth not ? 

Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, 

And let your soul delight itself in fatness. 
Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul shall live ; 
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies 
of David. 

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, 

A leader and commander to the people. 

Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, 
And nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord 
thy God, 

And for the Holy one of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee. 

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, 

Call ye upon him while he is near : 
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : 
And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; 

And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts. 



POETICAL. 307 



Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 
So are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth 
not thither. 

But watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, 

That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater : 

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth : 
It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please. 

And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace : 
The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, 

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, 

And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle -tree, 

And it shall be to the Lord for a name. 

For an everlasting sign, that shall not be cut off. 



JEREMIAH. 

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people ! 
How is she become as a widow ! she that was great among the nations, 
A. ad princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary ! 
ohe weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks : 

Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her : 
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her ene- 
mies. 
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great ser- 
vitude : 

She dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest : 

All her persecutors overtook her between the straits. 
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts : 

All her gates are desolate : 
Her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. 

Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper ; 
For the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions : 
Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries 

All her pleasant things that she had in the days of old. 
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? 
Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow. 

How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, 
And cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, 
And remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger ! 

What thing shall I take to witness for thee ? 

What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? 



308 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? 
For thy breach is great hke the sea: who can heal thee? 
All that pass by clap their hands at thee ; 

They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, 

' Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty. The joy of the 
whole earth ?' 

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 

lie hath led mc, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. 

Surely against me is he turned ; he tumeth his hand against me all the day. 

And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace : I forgat prosperity. 

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord : 

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 

My sovd hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compas- 
sions fail not. 

They are new every morning : great is thy faithfulness. 

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; therefore v/ill I hope in him. 

The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of 
the Lord. 

It is good for a man that he boar the yoke in his youth. 

He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he halh borne it upon him. 

He putteth his mouth in the dust ; if so be there may be hope. 

He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him : ho is filled full with reproach. 

For the Lord will not cast off" for ever : 

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the 
multitude of his mercies. 

For ho doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. 

To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth. 

To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High, 

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. 

Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth 
it not ? 

Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good ? 

Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? 

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. 

Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. 

We have transgressed and have rebelled : thou hast not pardoned. 

Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us : thou hast slain, thou 
hast not pitied. 

Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass 
through. 

Thou hast made us as the ofFscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. 

All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. 

Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. 

Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daugh- 
ter of my people. 

Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission. 



POETICAL. 309 



Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven. 

Mine eye afFecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. 

Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. 

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. 

Waters flowed over mine head ; then I said, I am cut off. 

I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. 

Thou hast heard my voice : hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. 

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee : thou saidst. Fear not. 

O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul ; thou hast redeemed my life. 

O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong : judge thou my cause. 

How is the gold become dim ! how is the most fine gold changed ! 

The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. 

The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, 

How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the 

potter ! 
For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of ray people is greater 

than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, 
That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. 
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk. 
They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire, 
Their visage is blacker than a coal ; they are not known in the streets : 
Their skin cleaveth to their bones ; it is withered, it is become like a stick. 
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with 

hunger : 
For these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. 
The Lord hath accomplished his fury ; he hath poured out his fierce anger, 
And hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the fotliidations thereof. 
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, 
Would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have 

entered into the gates of Jerusalem. 

Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us : 

Consider, and behold our reproach. 
Our inheritance is turned to strangers, 

Our houses to aliens. 
We are orphans and fatherless. 

Our mothers are as widows. 
We have drunken our water for money ; 

Our wood is sold unto us. 
Our necks are under persecution: 

We labor, and have no rest. 
The elders have ceased from the gate, 

The young men from their music. 
The joy of our heart is ceased ; 

Our dance is turned into mourning. 
The crown is fallen from our head : 

Woe unto us, that we have simied ! 



310 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



For this our heart is faint ; 

For these things our eyes are dim. 
Thou, O Lord, remainest for ever ; 

Thy throne from generation to generation. 
Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, 

And forsake us so long time ? 
Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned ; 

Renew our days as of old. 
But thou hast utterly rejected us ; 

Thou art very wroth against us. 



E Z EKI E L . 

Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God ; 
. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains. 

And to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys ; 
Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, 
And" I will destroy your high places. 
And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: 

And I will cast down your slain men before your idols. 
And I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols ; 
And I will scatter your bones round about your altars. 
In all your dwelling-places the cities shall be laid waste, 

And the high places shall be desolate ; 
That your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, 
And your idols may be broken and cease. 
And your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. 
And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, 
And ye shall know that I am the Lord. 
Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some 
That shall escape the sword among the nations. 
When ye shall be scattered through the countries. 
And they that escape of you shall remember me 
Among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, 
And they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed 
in all their abominations. 
And they shall know that I am the Lord, 
And that I have not said in vain that I will do this evil unto them. 
Thus saith the Lord God ; 
Smite with thine hand; and stamp with thy foot. 
And say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel ! 
For they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. 
He that is far off shall die of the pestilence ; 
And he that is near shall fall by the sword ; 
And he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine : 
Thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. 
Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, 



POETICAL. 311 



When their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, 
Upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, 
And under every green tree, and under every thick oak, 
The place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols. 
So will 1 stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, 
Yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habita- 
tions ! 
And they shall know that I am the Lord. 

Son of man. What is the vine-tree more than any tree, 
Or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? 
Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work ? 
Or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon ? 
Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel ; the fire devoureth both the ends of it. 
And the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work ? 
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work : 
How much less shall it be meet yet for any work. 
When the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned? 

Therefore thus saith the Lord God ; 
As the vine-tree among the trees of the forest, « 

Which 1 have given to the fire for fuel, 
So will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 
And I will set my face against them ; 
They shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them ; 
And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. 
And I will make the land desolate. 
Because they have committed a trespass, 
Saith the Lord God. 



H O S E A . 

Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself ; but in me is thine help. 

1 will be thy king : where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities ? 
I will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them from 

death : 
O death, I will be thy plagues ; O grave, I will be thy destruction : 
Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. 

O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God ; 
For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 
Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: 
Say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: 
So will we render the calves of our lips. 
Asshur shall not save us ; we will not ride upon horses : 
Neither will we say any more to the work of our hands. Ye are our gods : 
For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. 
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely : 



312 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



For mine anger is turned away from him. 
I will be as the dew unto Israel : 
He shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. 

His branches shall spread, 
And his* beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon. 
They that dwell under his shadow shall return ; 
They shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine : 
The scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. 
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols ? 
I have heard him, and observed him : I am hke a green fir-tree. 
From me is thy fruit found. 
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things ? 
Prudent, and he shall know them ? 
For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them ; 
But the transgressors shall fall therein. 



JOEL. 

Fear not, O land ; be glad and rejoice ; for the Lord will do great things. 
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field : 
For the pastures of the wilderness do spring. 
For the tree beareth her fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength. 
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: 
For he hath given you the former rain moderately, 
And he will cause to come down for you the rain, 
The former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 

And the floors shall be full of wheat, 
And the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. 
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, 
The cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, 
My great army which I sent among you. 
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied. 
And praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously 
with you : 
And my people shall never be ashamed. 
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, 
And that I am the Lord your God, and none else : 
And my people shall never be ashamed. 
And it shall come to pass afterward. 
That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh ; 
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 
And your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions : 
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids 
In those days will I pour out my spirit, 
That whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered : 

For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, 
As the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. 



POETICAL. 313 



AMOS. 

The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem ; 
And the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel 
shall wither. , 

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, 
And ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning : 
Yet ye have not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel : 

And because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. 

Fpr, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, 
And declareth unto man what is his thought. 

That maketh the morning darkness. 
And treadeth upon the high places of the earth. 
The Lord the God of hosts, is his name. 

Hear ye this word which I take up against you, 
Even a lamentation, O house of Israel. 
' The virgin of Israel is fallen ; 
She shall no more rise : 
She is forsaken upon her land ; 
There is none to raise her up.' 
For thus saith the Lord God ; 
The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, 
And that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of 
Israel. 
For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, 
Seek ye me, and ye shall live : 
But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba : 
For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought. 

Seek the Lord, and ye shall live ; 
Lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it. 

And there be none to quench it in Beth-el. 
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave ofFrighteousness in the earth. 
Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, 
And turneth the shadow of death into the morning, 
And maketh the day dark with night : 
That calleth for the waters of the sea. 
And pour them out upon the face of the earth : 

The Lord is his name : 
Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live : 
And so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 
Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate : 
It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious imto the remnant of 
Joseph. 



314 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion, and trust m the mountam of Sa- 
maria, 

Which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel cams ! 

Pass ye unto Cahieh, and see ; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great : 
Then go down to Gath of the Phihstines : 

Be they better than these kingdoms ? or their border greater than your border ? 

Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the . seat of violence to come 
near ; 

That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches. 

And eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the 
stall ; 
That chant to the sound of the viol, 

And invent to themselves instruments of music, like David ; 

That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments : 
But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 



MI C AH. 

But in the last days it shall come to pass, 
That the mountain of the house of the Lord 
Shall be established in the top of the mountains, 
And it shall be exalted above the hills ; and people shall flow unto it. 
And many nations shall come, and say. Come, 
And let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, 
And to the house of the God of Jacob ; 
And he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths : 
For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 
And he shall judge among many people, 
And rebuke strong nations afar off ; 
And they shall beat their swords into plough-shEires, 

And their spears into pruning-hooks : 
Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation. 
Neither shall they learn war any more. 
But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree ; 
And none shall make them afraid : 
For tlie mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. 
For all people will walk every one in the name of his god. 
And we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. 
In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth. 
And I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted ; 
And I wall make her that halted a remnant. 
And her that was cast far off a strong nation : 
And the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion 
From henceforth, oven for ever. 



Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, 
And ye strong foundations of the earth : 



POETICAL. 315 



For the Xord hath a controversy with his^people, 

And he will plead with Israel. 
O my people, what have I done unto thee ? 
And wherein have I wearied thee ? testify against me. 
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, 
And redeemed thee out of the house of servants ; 
And I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, 
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal 
That ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. 
Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, 
And bow myself before the high God ? 
Shall I come before him with bumt-ofFe rings, 

With calves of a year old ? 
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, 

Or with ten thousands of rivers of oil ? 
Shall I give jny first-born for my transgression, 

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? 

He hath showed thee, O man, what is good ; 

And what doth the Lord require of thee, 

But to do justly, and to love mercy. 

And to walk humbly with thy God ? 



N A HUM. 

The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, 

And the clouds are the dust of his feet. 
Ho rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers : 
Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. 

The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, 

And the earth is burned at his presence. 

Yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. 
Who can stand before his indignation ? 

And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger ? 
His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. 

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble ; 

And he knoweth them that trust in him. 
But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof. 
And darkness shall pursue his enemies. 

Behold upon the mountains the feet of him "^ 

That bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace ! 

O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows : 
For the wicked shall no more pass through thee ; he is utterly cut off. 

He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face : 

Keep the munition, watch the way. 
Make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily. 



316 SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water : yet they shall ffe© away. 

Stand, stand, shall they cry ; but none shall look back. 

Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold : 
For there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture. 
She is empty, and void, and waste : 

And the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, 
And much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. 
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, 

Where the lion, even the old lion, walked. 

And the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid ? 

The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, 
And strangled for his lionesses. 

And filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin. 

Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, 

And I will burn her chariots in the smoke, 

And the sword shall devour thy young lions : 

And I will cut off thy prey from the earth. 
And the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard. 

Woo to the bloody city ! it is all full of lies and robbery : 

The prey departeth not ; 
The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, 
And of the prancing horses, and of the jumping chariots. 
The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear : 
And there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses. 



SOLOMON. 

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, 'while the evil days 
come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no 
pleasure in them ; 

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor 
the clouds return after the rain ; 

In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men 
shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and 
those that look out of the windows be darkened,' 

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding 
is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daugh- 
ters of music shall be brought low ; 

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in 
the way, and the almond-tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall 
bo a burden, and desire shall fail : because man goeth to his long home, 
and the mourners go about the streets: 

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher 
be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall return 
unto God who gave it. 



POETICAL. 



317 



Counsel of Wisdom. 

Wisdom crieth without ; 

She uttereth her voice in the streets : 

She crieth in the chief place of con- 
course, 

In the openings of the gates : ' 

In the city she uttereth her words 
saying, 

' How long, ye simple ones, 

Will ye love simplicity ? 

And the scorners delight in their 
scorning, 

And fools hate knowledge ? 

Turn you at my reproof: 

Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto 
you, 

I will make known my words unto 
you. 

Because I have called, and ye re 
fused ; 

I have stretched out my hand, and no 
man regarded ; 

But ye have set at nought all my 
counsel. 

And would none of my reproof : 

I also will laugh at your calamity ; 

I will mock when your fear cometh ; 

When your fear cometh as desola- 
tion. 

And your destruction cometh as a 
whirlwind ; 

When distress and anguish cometh 
upon you. 

Then shall they call upon me, 

But I will not answer ; 

They shall seek me early, 

But they shall not find me : 

For that they hated knowledge, 

And did not choose the fear of the 
Lord: 

They would none of my counsel : 

They despised all my reproof. 

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit 
of their own way, 

And be filled with their own devices. 

For the turning away of the simple 
shall slay them. 

And the prosperity of fools shall de- 
stroy them. 



But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall 

dwell safely. 
And shall be quiet from fear of evil.' 

Excellence of Wisdom. 

Happy is the^ man that findeth wis- 
dom, 

And the man that getteth under- 
standing. 

For the merchandise of it is better 
than the merchandise of silver, 

And the gain thereof than fine gold. 

She is more precious than rubies : 

And all the things thou canst desire 
are not to be compared unto her. 

Length of days is in her right hand ; 

And in her left hand riches and 
honor. 

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, 

And all her paths are peace. 

She is a tree of life to them that lay 
hold upon her : 

And happy is every one that retaineth 
her. 

The Lord by wisdom hath founded 
the earth ; 

By understanding hath he established 
the heavens. 

By his knowledge the depths are bro- 
ken up. 

And the clouds drop down the dew. 

My son, let not. them depart from 
thine eyes : 

Keep sound wisdom and discretion : 

So shall they be life unto thy soul. 

And grace to thy neck. 

Then shalt thou walk in thy way 
safely. 

And thy foot shall not stumble. 

When thou liest down, thou shalt not 
be afraid : 

Yea, thou shalt lie down, -and thy 
sleep shall be sweet. 

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a 
father. 

And attend to know understanding. 

For I give you good doctrine, 

Forsake ye not my law. 

For I was my father's son. 



318 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Tender and only beloved in the sight 
of my mother. 

He taught me also, and said unto 
me, 

Let thine heart retain my words : 

Keep my commandments, and live. 

Get wisdom, get understanduig : for- 
get it not ; 

Neither decline from the words of my 
mouth. 

Forsake her not ; and she shall pre- 
serve thee : 

Love her, and she shall keep thee. 

Wisdom is the principal thing ; there- 
fore get wisdom : 

And with all thy getting get under- 
standing. 

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee : 

She shall bring thee to honor, when 
thou dost embrace her. 

She shall give to thine he ad an orna- 
ment of grace : 

A crown of glory shall she deliver to 
thee. 

Hear, O my son, and receive my say- 
ings ; 

And the years of thy life shall be many. 

I have taught thee in the way of wis- 
dom ; 

I have led thee in right paths. 

When thou goest, thy steps shall not 
be straitened • 

And when thou runnest, thou shalt not 
stumble. 

Take fast hold of instruction ; let her 
not go : 

Keep her ; for she is thy life. 

Enter not mto the path of the wicked, 

And go not in the way of evil men. 

Avoid it, pass not by it, 

Turn from it, and pass away. 

For they sleep not, except they have 
done mischief; 

And their sleep is taken away, unless 
they cause some to fall. 

For they eat the bread of wickedness, 

And drmk the wine of violence. 

But the path of the just is as the shin- 
ing light, 



That shineth more and more unto the 
perfect day. 

Call of Wisdom. 
Doth not wisdom cry ? 
And understanding put forth her 

voice? 
She standeth in the top of high places. 
By the way in the places of the paths. 
She crieth at the gates. 
At the entry of the city, 
At the coming in at the doors. 
Unto you, O men, I call ; 
And my voice is to the sons of man. 

ye simple, understand wisdom : 
And, ye fools, be ye of an nnderstand- 

ing heart. 
Hear ; for I will speak of excellent 

things ; 
And the opening of my lips shall be 

right things. 
For my mouth shall speak truth ; 
And wickedness is an abomination to 

my lips. 
All the V70rds of my mouth are m 

righteousness ; 
There is nothing fro ward or perverse 

in them. 
They are all plain to him that under- 

standeth, 
And right to them that find knowledge. 
Receive my instruction, and not silver ; 
And knowledge rather than choice 

gold. 
For wisdom is better than rubies ; 
And all the things that may be desired 
Are not to be compared to it. 

1 wisdom dwell with prudence. 
And find out knowledge of witty in- 
ventions. 

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil : 

Pride, and arrogancy, 

And the evil way, and the froward 

mouth, do I hate. 
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom : 
I am understanding ; I have strength. 
By me kings reign. 
And princes decree justice. 
By me princes rule, 



^ 



POETICAL. 



319 



And nobles, even all the judges of the 

earth. 
I love them that love me ; 
And those that seek me early shall 

find me. 
Riches and honor are with me ; 
Yea, durable riches and righteousness. 
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than 

fine gold ; 
And my revenue than choice silver. 
I lead in the way of righteovisness, 
In the midst of tihe paths of judgment. 
That I may cause those that love me 

to inherit substance ; 
And I will fill their treasures. 

Prayer of Agur. 

Surely I am more brutish than any 

man. 
And have not the understanding of a 

man. » 

I neither learned wisdom. 
Nor have the knowledge of the holy. 
Who hath ascended up into heaven, 

or descended ? 
Who hath gathered the wind in his 

fists? 
Who hath bound the waters in a gar 

ment ? 
Who hath established all the ends of 

the earth ? 
What is his name, and what is his 

son's name, 
If thou canst tell ? 
Every word of God is pure : 
He is a shield unto them that put their 

trust in him. 
Add thou not unto his words, 
Lest he reprove thee, and thou be 

found a liar. 
Two things have I required of thee ; 
Deny me them not before I die : 
Remove far from me vanity and lies : 
Give me neither poverty nor riches ; 
Feed me with food convenient for me : 
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say. 

Who is the Lord ? 
Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take 

the name of my God in vain. 



Female Excellence. 

Who can find a virtuous woman ? 

For her price is far above rubies. 

The heart of her husband doth safely 
trust in her, 

So that he shall have no need of 
spoil. 

She will do him good and not evil 

All the days of her life. 

She seeketh wool, and flax, 

And worketh willingly with her hands. 

She is lilto the merchants' ships ; 

She bringeth her food from afar. 

She riseth also while it is yet night, 

And giveth meat to her household, 

And a portion to her maidens. 

She considereth a field, and buyeth it : 

With the fruit of her hand she plant- 
eth a vineyard. 

She girdeth her loins with strength, 

And strengtheneth her arms. 

She perceiveth that her merchandise 
is good : 

Her candle goeth not out by night. 

She layeth her hands to the spindle, 

And her hands hold the distaff. 

She stretcheth out her hand to the 
poor; 

Yea, she reacheth forth her hand to 
the needy. 

She is not afraid of the snow for her 
household : 

For all her household are clothed with 
scarlet. 

She maketh herself coverings of ta- 
pestry ; 

Her clothing is silk and purple. 

Her husband is known in the gates, • 

When he sitteth among the elders of 
the land. 

She maketh fine linen, and scUeth it ; 

And delivereth girdles unto the mer- 
chant. 

Strength and honor are her clothing ; 

And she shall rejoice in time to come. 

She openeth her mouth with wis- 
dom; 

And in her tongue is the law of kind- 



320 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



She looketh well to the ways of her 
household, 

And eateth not the bread of idleness. 

Her children arise up, and call her 
blessed ; 

Her husband also, and he praiseth 
her. 

' Many daughters have done virtu- 
ously, 

But thou exccllest them all.' 

Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain : 

But a woman that feareth the Lord, 
she shall be praised. 

Give her of the fruit of her hands ; 

And let her own works praise her in 
the gates. 

My beloved spake, and said unto me. 
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and 

come away. 
For, lo, the winter is past, 
The rain is over and gone ; 
The flowers appear on the earth ; 
The time of the singing of birds is 

come. 
And the voice of the turtle is heard in 

our land ; 
The fig-tree putteth forth her green 

figs, 
And the vines with the tender grape 

give a good smell. 
Arise, my love, my fair one, and 

come away. 

Miscellaneous Proverbs. 

Many waters cannot quench love, 

Neither can the floods drown it : 

If a man would give all the substance 

of his house for love. 
It would utterly be contemned. 
A good name is rather to be chosen 

than great riches, 
And loving favor rather than silver 

and gold. 
The rich and poor meet together : 
The Lord is the maker of them all. 
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and 

hideth himself: 



But the simple pass on, and are 

punished. 
By humility and the fear of the Lord 
Are riches, and honor, and life. 
Thorns and snares are in the way of 

the froward : 
He that doth keep his soul shall bo 

far from them. 
Train up a child in the way he should 

go: 
And when he is old, he will not depart 

from it- 
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a 

child : 
But the rod of correction shall drive it 

far from him. 
Withhold not correction from the child: 
For if thou beatest him with the rod, 

he shall not die. 
Thou shalt beat him with the rod. 
And shalt deliver his soul from hell. 
My son, if thine heart be wise. 
My heart shall rejoice, even mine. 
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, 
When thy lips speak right things. 
Let not thine heart envy sinners : 
But be thou in the fear of the Lord 

all the day long : 
For surely there is an end ; 
And thine expectation shall not be 

cut off. 
Make no friendship with an angiy 

man ; 
And with a furious man thou shalt 

not go : 
Lest thou learn his ways. 
And get a snare to thy soul. 
Be not thou one of them that strike 

hands. 
Or of them that are sureties for debts. 
If thou hast nothing to pay. 
Why should he take away thy bed 

from under thee ? 
Remove not the ancient landmark, 
Which thy fathers have set. 
Seest thou a man diligent in his busi- 
ness ? 
He shall stand before kings ; 
He shall not stand before mean men. 



POETICAL. 



321 



JOB. 



Oh that my grief were thoroughly 

weighed, 
And my calamity laid in the balances 

together ! 
For now it would be heavier than the 

sand of the sea : 
Therefore my words are swallowed up. 
For the arrows of the Almighty are 

within me, 
The poison whereof drinketh up my 

spirit : 
The terrors of God do set themselves 

in array against me. 
Doth the wild ass bray when he hath 
? 



Or loweth the ox over his fodder ? 

Can that which is unsavoury be eaten 
without salt? 

Or is there any taste in the white of 
an egg? 

The things that my soul refused to 
touch 

Are as my sorrowful meat. 

O that I might have my request ; 

And that God would grant me the 
thing that I long for ! 

Even that it would please God to de 
stroy me ; 

That he would let loose his hand, and 
cut me off! 

Then should I yet have comfort ; 

Yea,I would harden myself in sorrow : 

Let him not spare ; for I have not con- 
cealed the words of the Holy One 

What is my strength, that I should 
hope ? 

And what is mine end, that I should 
prolong my life ? 

Is my strength the strength of stones ? 

Or is my flesh of brass ? 

Is not my help in me ? 

And is wisdom driven quite from me 

To him that is afllicted, pity should be 
showed from his friend ; 

But he forsaketh the fear of the Al- 
mighty. 



My brethren have dealt deceitfully as 

a brook. 
And as the stream of brooks they 

pass away ; 
Which are blackish by reason of the 

ice. 

And wherein the snow is hid : 
What time they wax warm, they 

vanish : 
When it is hot, they are consumed out 

of their place. 
The paths of their way are turned 

aside ; 

They go to nothing, and perish. 
The troops of Tema looked. 
The companies of Sheba waited for 

them. 
They were confounded because they 

had hoped ; 
They came thither, and were ashamed. 
For now ye are nothing ; 
Ye see my casting down, and are 

afraid. 
Did I say, Bring unto me ? 
Or, Give a reward for me of your 

substance ? 
Or, Deliver me from the enemy's 

hand ? 
Or, Redeem me from the hand of the 

mighty? 
Teach me, and I will hold my tongue : 
And cause me to understand wherein 

I have erred. 
How forcible are right words ! 
Bvit what doth your arguing reprove ? 
Do ye imagine to reprove words. 
And the speeches of one that is des- 
perate, 
Which are as wind ? 
Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless. 
And ye dig a pit for your friend. 
Now therefore be content, look upon 

me ; 
For it is evident unto you if I lie. 
Return, I pray you, let it not be uii- 

quity : 



322 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Yea, retmn again, my righteousness 

is in it. 
Is there iniquity in my tongue ? 
Cannot my taste discern perverse 

things ? 

Is there not an appointed time to man 

upon earth ? 
Are not his days also hke the days of 

an hireUng? 
As a servant earnestly desireth the 

shadow, 
And as an hireling looketh for the 

reward of his work ; 
So am I made to possess months of 

vanity, 
And wearisome nights are appointed 

to me. 
When I lie down, I say. When shall 

I arise, and the night be gone 
And I am full of tossings to and fro 

unto the dawning of the day. 
My flesh is clothed with worms and 

clods of dust ; 
My skin is broken, and becomes 

loathsome. 
My days are swifter than a weaver's 

shuttle, 
And are spent without hope. 

remember that my life is wind : 
Mine eyes shall no more see good. 
The eye of him that hath seen me 

shall see me lib more : 
Thine eyes are upon me, and I am not, 
As the cloud is consumed and van- 

isheth away: 
So he that gocth down to the grave 

shall come up no more. 
He shall return no more to his house. 
Neither shall his place know him any 

more. 
Therefore I will not refrain my 

mouth ; 

1 will speak in the anguish of my 

spirit ; 
I will complain in the bitterness of 

my soul. 
Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou 

settest a watch over me ? 



When I say, My bed shall comfort 

me, 
My couch shall ease my complaint ; 
Then thou scarest me with dreams. 
And terrifiest me through visions : 
So that my soul chooseth strangling, 
And death rather than my hfe. 
I loath it ; I would not live alway : 
Let me alone ; for my days are vanity. 
What is man, that thou shouldest 

magnify him? 
And that thou shouldest set thine 

heart upon him ? 
And that thou shouldest visit him 

every morning. 
And try him every moment ? 
How long wilt thou not depart from 

me. 
Nor let me alone till I swallow down 

my spittle ? 
I have sinned : what shall I do imto 

thee, 

thou Preserver of men ? why hzist 

thou set me as a mark against 
thee. 

So that I am a burden to myself? 

And why dost thou not pardon my 
transgression. 

And take away mine iniquity ? 

For now shall I sleep in the dust ; 

And thou shalt seek me in the morn- 
ing, but I shall not be. 

Then Job answered and said, 

1 know it is so of a truth : 

But how should a man be just with God? 

If he will contend with him. 

He cannot answer him one of a 

thousand. 
He is wise in heart, and mighty in 

strength : 
Who hath hardened himself against 

him, and hath prospered ? 
Which removeth the mountains, and 

they know not : 
Which overturneth them in his anger. 
Which shaketh the earth out of her 

place, 
And the pillars thereof tremble. 



POETICAL. 



323 



Which commandeth the sun, and it 

riseth not ; 
And sealeth up the stars. 
Which alone spreadeth out the hea- 
vens, 
And treadeth upon the waves of the 

sea. 
Which raaketh Arcturus, Orion, 
And Pleiades, and the chambers of 

the south. 
Which doeth great things past finding 

out ; 
Yea, and wonders without number. 
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him 

not: 
He passeth on also, but I perceive 

him not. 
Behold, he taketh away, who can 

hinder him ? 
Who will say unto him. What doest 

thou? 
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: 
And if of judgment, who shall settfcie 

a time to plead ? 
If I justify myself, mine own mouth 

shall condemn me : 
If I say, I am perfect, it sh^fl also 

prove me perverse. 
Now my days are swifter than a 

post : 
They flee away, they see no good. 
They are passed away as the swift 

ships : 
As the eagle that hasteth to the prey. 

Canst thou by searching find out 

God? 
Canst thou find out the Almighty 

unto perfection ? 
It is as high as heaven ; what canst 

thou do ? 
Deeper than hell ; what canst thou 

know ? 
The measure thereof is longer than 

the earth, 
And broader than the sea. 
If he cut ofF, and shut up, or gather 

together. 
Then who can hinder him ? 



For he knoweth vain men : 
He seeth wickedness also ; 
Will he not then consider it ? 
For vain man would be wise, 
Though man be born like a wild 

ass's colt. 
If thou prepare thine heart, 
And stretch out thine hands towards 

him ; 
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far 

away, 
And let not wickedness dwell in thy 

tabernacles. 
For then shalt thou lift up thy face 

without spot ; 
Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt 

not fear : 
Because thou shalt forget thy misery. 
And remember it as waters that pass 

away: 
And thine age shall be clearer than 

the noon-day ; 
Thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be 

as the morning. 
And thou shalt be secure, because 

there is hope ; 
Yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and 

thou shalt take thy rest in safety. 
Also thou shalt lie down, and none 

shall make thee afraid ; 
Yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail. 
And they shall not escape. 
And their hope shall be as the giving 

up of the ghost. 

Man that is born of a woman 
Is of few days, and full of trouble. 
He Cometh forth like a flower, and is 

cut down : 
He fleeth also as a shadow, and 

continueth not. 
And dost thou open thine eyes upon 

such a one. 
And bringest me into judgment with 

thee? 
Who can bring a clean thing out of 

an unclean ? not one. 
Seeing his days are determined. 



324 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



The- number of his months are with 

thee, 
Thou hast appointed his bounds that 

he cannot pass ; 
Turn from him, that he may rest. 
Till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, 

his day. 
For there is hope of a tree, if it be 

cut down, 
That it will sprout again. 
And that the tender branch thereof 

will not cease. ' 
Though the root thereof wax old in 

the earth. 
And the stock thereof die in the 

ground ; 
Yet through the scent of water it 

will bud, 
And bring forth boughs like a plant. 
But man dieth, and wasteth away : 
Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and 

where is he ? 
As the waters fail from the sea. 
And the flood decayeth and drieth up : 
So man lieth down, and riseth not : 
Till the heavens be no more, they 

shall not awake, 
Nor be raised out of their sleep. 
O that thou wouldest hide me in the 

grave. 
That thou wouldest keep me secret, 

until thy wrath be past, 
That thou wouldest appoint me a set 

time, and remember me ! 
If a man die, shall he live again ? 
All the days of my appointed time 

will I wait, till my change come. 
And surely the mountain falling 

Cometh to nought. 
And the rock is removed out of his 

place. 
The waters wear the stones : 
Thou washest away the thing-s which 

grow out of the dust of the earth ; 
And thou destroyest the hope of man. 
Thou prevailest for ever against him, 

and he passeth : 
Thou changest his countenance, and 

sendest him away. 



His sons come to honour, and he 

knowcth it not ; 
And they are brought low, but he 

perceiveth it not of them. 
But his flesh upon him shall have 

pain. 
And his soul within him shall mourn. 

Judgment of the Wicked. 

Wherefore do the wicked live, 
Become old, yea, are mighty in 

power ? 
Their seed is established in their sight 

with them, 
And their offspring before their eyes. 
Their houses are safe from fear. 
Neither is the rod of God upon them. 
They send forth their little ones like a 

flock. 
And their children dance. 
They take the timbrel and harp, 
Ajftd rejoice at the sound of the organ. 
They spend their days in wealth, 
And in a moment go down to the 

grave. 
Therefore they say unto God, Depart 

from us ; 
For we desire not the knowledge of 

thy ways. 
What is the Almighty, that we should 

serve him ? 
And what profit should we have, if 

we pray unto him? 
Lo, their good is not in their hand : 
The counsel of the wicked is far from 

me. 
How oft is the candle of the wicked 

put out? 
And how oft cometh their destruction 

upon them ? 
God distributeth sorrows in his anger. 
They are as stubble before the wind, 
And as chaff" that the storm carrieth 

away. 
God layeth up his. iniquity for his 

children : 
He rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 
His eves shall see his destruction, 



POETICAL. 



325 



And he shall drink of the wrath of 

the Almighty. 
One dieth in his full strength, 
Being wholly at ease and quiet. 
His breasts are full of milk, 
And his bones are moistened with 

marrow. 
And another dieth in the bitterness of 

his soul, 
And never eateth with pleasure. 
They shall lie down alike in the dust, 
And the worms shall cover them. 
Have ye not asked them that go by 

the way ? 
And do ye not know their tokens. 
That the wicked is reserved to the 

day of destruction ? 
They shall be brought forth to the 

day of wrath. 

God's Omniscience and Power. 

Hell is naked before him. 

And destruction hath no covering. 

He stretcheth out the north over the 

empty place. 
And hangeth the earth upon nothing. 
He bindeth up the waters in his thick 

clouds ; 
And the cloud is not rent under them. 
He holdeth back the face of his 

throne. 
And spreadeth his cloud upon it 
He hath compassed the waters with 

bounds, 
Until the day and night come to an 

end. 
The pillars of heaven tremble 
And are astonished at his reproof. 
He divideth the sea with his power. 
And by his understanding he smiteth 

through the proud. 
By his Spirit he hath garnished the 

heavens ; 
His hand hath formed the crooked 

serpent. 
Lo, these are parts of his ways : 
But how little a portion is heard of 

him? 



But the thunder of his power who can 
understand ? 

Wisdom. 
But where aball wisdom be found ? 
And where is the place of understand- 
ing? 
Man luioweth not the price thereof ; 
Neither is it found in the land of the 

living. 
The depth saith. It is not in me ; 
And the sea saith, It is not with me. 
It cannot be gotten for gold. 
Neither shall silver be weighed for 

the price thereof. 
It cannot be valued with the gold of 

Ophir, 
With the precious onyx, or the 

sapphire. 
The gold and the crystal cannot equal 

it: 
And the exchange of it shall not be 

for jewels of fine gold. 
No mention shall be made of coral, 

or of pearls : 
For the price of wisdom is above 

rubies. 
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal 

it, 
Neither shall it be valued with pure 

gold. 
Whence then cometh wisdom ? 
And where is the place of under- 
standing ? 
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all 

living. 
And kept close from the fowls of the 

air. 
Destruction and death say. 
We have heard the fame thereof 

Avith our ears. 
God understandeth the way thereof. 
And he knoweth the place thereof. 
For he looketh to the ends of the 

earth, 
And seeth under the whole heaven ; 
To make the weight for the winds ; 
And he weighcth the waters by 

measure. 



326 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



When he made a decree for the rain, 
And a way for the lightning of the 

thunder ; 
Then did he see it, and declare it ; 
He prepared it, yea, and searched it 

out. 
And unto man he said. 
Beholds the fear of the Lord, that 

is wisdom ; 
And to depart from evil is understand- 
ing. 
Oh that I were as in months past, 
As in the days when God preserved 

me ; 
When his candle shined upon my 

head, 
And when by his light I walked 

through darkness ; 
As I was in the days of my youth, 
When the secret of God was upon 

my tabernacle ; 
When the Almighty was yet with 

me, 
When my children were about me ; 
When I washed my steps with butter. 
And the rock poured me out rivers of 

oil ; 
When I went out to the gate through 

the city, 
When I prepared my seat m the 

street ! 
The young men saw me, and hid 

themselves : 
And the aged arose, and stood up. 
The princes refrained talking. 
And laid their hand on their mouth. 
The nobles held their peace. 
And their tongue cleaved to the roof 

of their mouth. 
When the ear heard mo, then it 

blessed me ; 
And when the eye saw me, it gave 

witness to me : 
Because I delivered the poor that 

cried. 
And the fatherless, and him that had 

none to help him. 
The blessing of him that was ready 

to perish came upon mo : 



And I caused the widow's heart to 

sing for joy. 
I put on righteousness and it clothed me; 
My judgment was as a robe and a 

diadem. 
I was eyes to the blind. 
And feet was I to the lame. 
I was a father to the poor ; 
And the cause which I knew not I 

searched out. 

God's Works. 

Behold, Gx)d is great, and we know 

him not, 
Neither can the number of his years 

be searched out. 
For he maketh small the drops of 

water : 
They pour down rain according to 

the vapor thereof; 
Which the clouds do drop 
And distil upon man abundantly. 
Also can any understand the spread- 

ings of the clouds, 
Or the noise of his tabernacle 1 
Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it. 
And covereth the bottom of the sea. 
With clouds he covereth the light ; 
And commandeth it not to shine by 

the cloud that cometh betwixt. 

God's Wisdom unsearchable. 

At this also my heart trembleth, 
And is moved out of his place. 
Hear attentively the noise of his 

voice. 
And the sound that goeth out of his 

mouth. 
He directeth it under the whole 

heaven, 
And his lightning unto the ends of 

the earth. 
After it a voice roareth ; he thun- 

dereth with the voice of his 

excellency ; 
And he will not stay them when his 

voice is heard. 
God thundereth marvelously with 

his voice ; 



POETICAL. 



327 



Great things doeth he, which we 

cannot comprehend. 
For he saith to the snow, Be thou on 

the earth ; 
Likewise to the small rain, and to 

the great rain of his strength. 
Then the beasts go into dens, 
And remain in their places. 
Out of the south cometh the whirl- 
wind : 
And cold out of the north. 
By the breath of God frost is given : 
And the breadth of the waters is 

straitened. 
Also by watering he wearieth the 

thick cloud : 
He scattereth his bright cloud: 
Hearken unto this, O Job : 
Stand still, and consider the wondrous 

works of God. 
Dost thou know when God disposed 

them. 
And caused the light of his cloud to 

shine ? 
Dost thou know the balancings of 

the clouds, 
The wondrous works of him which is 

perfect in knowledge ? 
Hast thou with him spread out the sky. 
Which is strong, and as a molten 

looking-glass ? 
Teach us what we shall say mito 

him ; 
For we cannot order our speech by 

reason of darkness. 
And now men see not the bright light 

which is in the clouds : 
But the wind passeth, and cleanseth 

them. 
Fair weather cometh out of the north : 
With God is terrible majesty. 
Touching the Almighty, we cannot 

find him out : 
He is excellent in power, and in judg- 
ment, and in plenty of justice : 
He will not atflict. 

God challength Job to answer him. 

Who is this that darkeneth counsel 



By words without knowledge ? 

Gird up now thy loins like a, man ; 

For I will demand of thee, and an- 
swer thou me. 

Where wast thou when I laid the 
foundations of the earth ? 

Declare, if thou hast understanding. 

Who hath laid the measures thereof, 
if thou knowest ? 

Or who hath stretched the line upon it ? 

Whereupon are the foundations there- 
of fastened ? 

Or who laid the comer-stone thereof: 

When the morning stars sang to- 
gether. 

And all the sons of God shouted for joy 7 

Or who shut up the sea with doors. 

When it brake forth, as if it had 
issued out of the womb ? 

When I made the cloud the garment 
thereof. 

And thick darkness a swaddling band 
for it. 

And brake up for it my decreed place. 

And set bars and doors, 

And said, 

Hitherto shalt thou come, but no 
further : 

And here shall thy proud waves be 
? 



Hast thou commanded the morning 

since thy days ; 
And caused the day-spring to know 

his place ; 
Hast thou entered into the springs of 

the sea? 
Or hast thou walked in search of the 

depth ? 
Have the gates of death been opened 

unto thee ? 
Or hast thou seen the doors of the 

shadow of death ? 
Hast thou perceived the breadth of the 

earth ? 
Declare if thou knowest it all. 
Where is the way where light 

dwelleth? 
And as for darkness, where is the 

place thereof. 



328 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



That thou shouldest take it to the 

bound thereof, 
And that thou shouldest know the 

paths to'the house thereof? 
Knowest thou it, because thou wast 

then born ? 
Or because the number of thy days is 

great ? 
Hast thou entered into the treasures 

of the snow ? 
Or hast thou seen the treasures of the 

hail, 
Which I have reserved against the 

time of trouble, 
Against the day of battle and war ? 
By what way is the light parted, 
Which scattereth the east wind upon 

the earth? 
Who hath divided a water-course for 

the overflowing of waters, 
Or a way for the lightning of thun- 
der ; 
To cause it to rain on the earth, 

where no man is ; 
On the wilderness, wherein there is 

no man. 
To satisfy the desolate and waste 

ground ; 
And to cause the bud of the tender 

herb to spring forth ? 
Hath the rain a father? 
Or who hath begotten the drops of 

dew? 
Out of whose womb came the ice ? 
And the hoary frost of heaven, who 

hath gendered it,? 
Canst thou bind the sweet influences 

of Pleiades, 
Or loose the bands of Orion ? 
Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in 

his season ? 
Or canst thou guide Arcturus with 

his suns ? 
Knowest thou the ordinances of 

heaven ? 
Canst thou set the dominion thereof 

in the earth ? 
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the 

clouds. 



That abundaaice of waters may cover 
thee ? 

Canst thou send lightnings, that they 
may go. 

And say unto thee. Here we are ? 

Who hath put wisdom in the inward 
parts ? 

Or who hath given understanding to 
the heart ? 

Who can number the clouds in wis- 
dom? 

Or who can stay the bottles ofheaven, 

When the dust groweth into hardness, 

And the clods cleave fast together ? 

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion ? 

Or fill the appetite of the young lions, 

When they couch in their dens. 

And abide in the covert to lie in wait? 

Who provideth for the raven his food ? 

When his young ones cry unto God, 
they wander for lack of meat. 

God's Power visible in the Creation. 
Knowest thou the time when the 

wild goats of the rock bring forth ? 
Or canst thou mark when the hinds 

do calve ? 
•Canst thou number the months that 

they fulfil ? 
Or knowest thou the time when they 

bring forth ? 
They bow themselves, they bring 

forth their young ones, 
They cast oiit their sorrows. 
Their young ones are in good liking, 

they grow up with corn ; 
They go forth, and return not unto 

them. 
Who hath sent out the wild ass free ? 
Or who hath loosed the bands of the 

wild ass ? 
Whose house I have made the wilder- 
ness. 
And the barren land his dwellings. 
He scorneth the multitude of the city, 
Neither regardeth he the crying of the 

driver. 
The range of the mountains is his 

pasture, 



POETICAL. 



329 



And he searcheth after every green 

thing. 
Will the unicorn be willing to serve 

thee, 
Or abide by thy crib ? 
Canst thou bind the unicorn with his 

band in the furrow ? 
Or will he harrow the valleys after 

thee ? 
Wilt thou trust him, because his 

strength is great ? 
Or wilt thou leave thy labor to him ? 
Wilt thou believe him, that he will 

bring home thy seed, 
And gather it into thy bam? 
Gavest thou the goodly wings unto 

the peacocks? 
Or wings and feathers unto the 

ostrich ? 
Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, 
And warmeth them in the dust, 
And forgetteth that the foot may 

crush them, 
Or that the wild beast may break 

them. 
She is hardened against her young 

ones, 
As though they were not hers : 
Her labor is in vain without fear ; 
Because God hath deprived her of 

wisdom. 
Neither hath he imparted to her 

understanding. 
What time she lifteth up herself on 

high, 
She scorneth the horse and his rider. 
Hast thou given the horse strength ? 
Hast thou clothed his neck with 

thunder? 
Canst thou make him afraid as a 

grasshopper ? 
The glory of his nostrils is terrible. 
Ho paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth 

ia his strength : 
He gocth on to meet the armed men. 
He mocketh at fear, and is not 

affrighted ; 
Neither turncth he back from the 

sword. 



The quiver rattleth against him, 
The glittering spear and the shield. 
Heswalloweth the ground with fierce- 
ness and rage ; 
Neither believeth he that it is the 

sound of the trumpet. 
He saith among the trumpets. Ha, ha ! 
And he smelleth the battle afar off. 
The thunder of the captains, and the 

shouting. 
Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom. 
And stretch her wings toward the south? 
Doth the eagle mount up at thy 

command. 
And make her nest on high ? 
She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, 
Upon the crag of the rock, and the 

strong place. 
From thence she seeketh the prey, 
And her eyes behold afar off. 
Her young ones also suck up blood : 
And where the slain are, there is she. 

Wonderful Works of God. 

Then answered the Lord unto Job 

out of the whirlwind, and said. 
Gird up thy loins now like a man : 
I will demand of thee, and declare 

thou unto me. 
Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? 
Wilt thou condemn me, that thou 

mayest be righteous ? 
Hast thou an arm like God ? 
Or canst thou thunder with a voice 

hke him '^. 
Deck thyself now with majesty and 

excellency ; 
And array thyself with glory and 

beauty. 
Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath : 
And behold every one that is proud, 

and abase him. 
Look on every one that is proud, and 

bring him low ; 
And tread down the wicked in their 

place. 
Hide them in the dust together ; 
And bind their faces in secret. 
Then will I also confess unto thee 



330 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



That, thine own right hand can save 

thee. 
Behold now behemoth, which I made 

with thee ; 
He eatelh grass as an ox. 
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, 
And his force is in the navel of his 

belly. 
He moveth his tail like a cedar ; 
The sinews of his stones are wrapped 

together. 

His bones are as strong pieces of brass ; 
His bones are like bars of iron. 
He is the chief of the ways of God 
He that made him can make his 

sword to approach unto him. 
Surely the mountains bring him forth 

food, 
Where all the beasts of the field play. 
He lieth under the shady trees, 
In the covert of the reed, and fens. 
The shady trees cover him with their 

shadow ; 
The willows of the brook compass 

him about. 
Behold, he drinketh up a river, and 

hasteth not : 
He trusteth that he can draw up 

Jordan into his mouth. 
He taketh it with his eyes : 
His nose pierceth through snares. 

Wonderful Works of God. 

Canst thou draw out leviathan with a 

hook? 
Or his tongue with a cord which thou 

lettest down? 
Canst thou put a hook into his nose ? 
Or bore his jaw through with a thorn ? 
Will he make many supplications 

unto thee ? 
Will he speak soft words unto thee ? 
Will he make a covenant with thee ? 
Wilt thou take him for a servant for 

ever? 
Wilt thou play with him as with a 

bird? 
Or wilt thou bind him for thy 

maidens ? 



Shall thy companions make a banquet 

of him ? 
Shall they part him among the mer- 
chants ? 
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed 

irons ? 
Or his head with fish-spears ? 
Lay thy hand upon him, 
Remember the battle, do no more. 
Behold, the hope of him is in vain : 
Shall not one be cast down even at 

the sight of him ? 
None is so fierce that dare stir him up : 
Who then is able to stand before me ? 
His scales are his pride, shut up 

together as with a close seal. 
By his nessings a light doth shine. 
And his eyes are like the eye-lids of 

the morning. 
Out of his mouth go burning lamps, 
And sparks of fire leap out. 
Out of his nostrils goeth smoke. 
As out of a seething pot or caldron. 
His breath kindleth coals, 
And a flame goeth out of his mouth. 
When ho raiseth up himself, the 

mighty are afraid : 
By reason of breakings they purify 

themselves. 
The sword of him that layeth at him 

cannot hold : 
The spear, the dart, nor the haber- 
geon. 
Ho esteemeth iron as straw, 
And brass as rotten wood. 
The arrow cannot make him flee : 
Sling-stones are turned with him into 

stubble. 
Darts are counted as stubble : 
He laugheth at the shaking of a 

spear. 
He maketh the deep to boil like a 

pot: 
He maketh the sea hke a pot of 

ointment. 
He maketh a path to shine after him ; 
One would think the deep to be 

hoary. 
Upon earth there is not his like. 



POETICAL. 



331 



Who is made without fear. 
He beholdeth all high things : 
He is a king over all the children of 
pride. 

God accepteth and blesseth Job. 

I know that thou canst do every 

thing, 
And that no thought can be with- 

holden from thee. 
Who is he that hideth counsel without 

knowledge 1 



Therefore have I uttered that I 

understood not ; 
Things too wonderful for me, which 

I knew not. 
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak : 
I will demand of thee, and declare 

thou unto me. 
I have heard of thee by the hearing 

of the ear : 
But now mine eye seeth thee : 
Wherefore I abhor myself. 
And repent in dust and ashes. 



MOSES. 



I WILL sing unto the Lord, for he hath 
triumphed gloriously : 

The horse and his rider hath he 
thrown into the sea. 

The Lord is my strength and song, 

And he is become my salvation : 

He is my God, and I will prepare 
him an habitation ; 

My father's God, and I will exalt 
him. 

The Lord is a man of war : 

The Lord is his name. 

Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath 
he cast into the sea : 

His chosen captains also are drowned 
in the Red sea. 

The depths have covered them : 

They sank into the bottom as a 
stone. 

Thy right hand, O Lord, is become 
glorious in power : 

Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed 
in pieces the enemy. 

And in the greatness of thine excel- 
lency 

Thou hast overthrown them that rose 
up against thee : 

Thou sentest forth thy wrath. 

Which consumed them as stubble. 

And with the blast of thy nostrils 

The waters were gathered toge- 
ther, 



The floods stood upright as an heap, 
And the depths were congealed in the 

heart of the sea. 
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will 

overtake, 
I will divide the spoil ; 
My lust shall be satisfied upon them ; 
I will draw my sword. 
My hand shall destroy them. 
Thou didst blow with thy wind, 
The sea covered them ; 
They sank as lead in the mighty 

waters. 
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, 

among the gods ? 
Who is hke thee, glorious in holiness, 
Fearful in praises, doing wonders? 
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, 
The earth swallowed them. 
Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the 

people 
Which thou hast redeemed : 
Thou hast guided them in thy 

strength 
Unto thy holy habitation. 
The people shall hear, and be afraid ; 
Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabi- 
tants of Palestina. 
Then the dukes of Edom shall be 

amazed; 
The mighty men of Moab, trembling, 

shall take hold upon them ; 



332 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



All the inhabitants of Canaan shall 

melt away. 
Fear and dread shall fall upon them ; 
By the greatness of thine anm they 

shall be as still as a stone ; 
Till thy people pass over, O Lord, 
Till the people pass over, which thou 

hast purchased. 



Thou shalt bring them in, 
And plant them in the mountain of 
thine inheritance, 
the place, O Lord, which thou 
hast made for thee to dwSU in, 
the Sanctuary, O Lord, which 
thy hands have established. 
The Lord shall reign for ever and ever ! 



In 



In 



DEBORAH. 



Praise ye the Lord for the avenging 

of Israel, 
When the people willingly offered 

themselves. 
Hear, O ye kings ; 
Give ear, O ye princes : 
I, even I, will sing unto the Lord ; 
I will sing praise to the Lord God of 

Israel. 
Lord, when thou wentest out of 

Seir, 
When thou marchedst out of the field 

of Edom, 
The earth trembled, and the heavens 

dropped. 
The clouds also dropped water. 
The mountains melted from before 

the Lord, 
Eveji that Sinai from before the Lord 

God of Israel. 
In the days of Shamgar the son of 

Anath, 
In the da.y^ of Jael, 
The highways were unoccupied. 
And the travellers walked through 

by-ways. 
The inhabitants of the villages ceased. 
They ceased in Israel, 
Until that I Deborah arose. 
That I arose a mother in Israel. 
They chose new gods ; 
Then was war in the gates : 
Was there a shield or spear seen 

among forty thousand in Israel ? 
My heart is toward the governors of 

Israel, 



That offered themselves -willijigly 

among the people. 
Bless ye the Lord. 
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, 
Ye that sit in judgment, and walk by 

the way. 
They that are delivered from the 

noise of archers 
In the places of drawing water, 
There shall they rehearse the righte- 
ous acts of the Lord, 
Even the righteous act toward the in- 
habitants of his villages in Israel ; 
Then shall the people of the Lord go 

down to the gates. 
Awake, awake, Deborah: 
Awake, awake, utter a song : 
Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity 

captive, 
Thou son of Abinoam. 
Then he made him' that remaineth 

have dominion over the noblos 

among the people : 
The Lord made me have dominion 

over the mighty. 
Out of Ephraim was there a root of 

them against Amalek ; 
After thee, Benjamui, among thy 

people ; 
Out of Machir came down governors, 
And out of Zebulun they that handle 

the pen of the writer. 
And the princes of Issachar were with 

Deborah ; 
Even Issachar, and also Barak : 
He was sent on foot into the valley. 



POETICAL. 



333 



For the divisions of Reuben there! 

were great thoughts of heart. 
Why abodest thou among the sheep- 
folds, 
To hear the bleatings of the flocks ? 
For the divisions of Reuben there 

were great searchings of heart. 
Gilead abode beyond Jordan : 
And why did Dan remain in ships ? 
Asher continued on the sea-shore, 
And abode in his breaches. 
Zebukm and Naphtali were a people 

that jeoparded their lives unto 

the death 
In the high places of the field. 
The kings came and fought, 
Then fought the kings of Canaan in 

Taanach by the waters of 

Megiddo ; 
They took no gain of money. 
They fought from heaven ; 
The stars in their courses fought 

against Sisera. 
The river of Kishon swept them 

away, 
That ancient river, the river Kishon. 
O my soul, thou hast trodden down 

strength. 
Then were the horse-hoofs broken by 

the means of the prancings. 
The prancings of their mighty 

ones. 
Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of 

the Lord, 
Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants 

thereof ; 
Because they came not to the help 

of the Lord, 
To the help of the Lord against the 

mighty. 
Blessed above women shall Jael the 

wife of Heber the Kenite be. 



Blessed shall she be above women in 

the tent. 
He asked water and she gavo him 

milk: 
She brought forth butter in a lordly 

dish. 
She put her hand to the nail, 
And her right hand to the workman's 

hammer ; 
And with the hammer she smote 

Sisera, 
She smote off his head. 
When she had pierced and stricken 

through his temples. 
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay 

down : 

At her feet he bowed, he fell : 
Where he bowed, there he fell down 

dead. 
The mother of Sisera looked out at a 

window. 
And cried through the lattice, 
Why is his chariot so long in com- 

ing? 
Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? 
Her wise ladies answered her, 
Yea, she returned answer to herself, 
Have they not sped ? 
Have they not divided the prey : 
To every man a damsel or two ; 
To Sisera a prey of divers colors, 
A prey of divers colors of needle- 
work, 
Of divers colors of needle-work on 

both sides. 
Meet for the necks of them that take 

the spoil ? 
So let all thine enemies perish, O 

Lord : 
But let them that love him be as the 

sun 
When he goeth forth in his might. 



334 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



DAVID. 



Blessing of the Righteous. 

Blessed is the man that walketh not 

in the counsel of the ungodly, 
Nor standeth in the way of sinners, 
Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 
But his delight is in the law of the 

Lord ; 
And in his law doth he meditate day 

and night. 
And he shall be like a tree planted 

by the rivers of water. 
That bringeth forth his fruit in his 



His leaf also shall not wither ; 

And whatsoever he doeth shall pros- 
per. 

The u;ngodly are not so : 

But are like the chaff v^hich the wind 
driveth away. 

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand 
in the judgment, 

Nor sinners in the congregation of 
the righteous. 

For the Lord knoweth the way of 
the righteous: 

But the way of the ungodly shall 



Chrisfs Spiritual Kingdom. 

Why do the heathen rage, 
And the people imagine a vain thing ? 
The kings of the earth set themselves, 
And the rulers take counsel together. 
Against the Lord, and against his 

Anointed, saying, 
Let us break their bands asunder, 
And cast away their cords from us. 
He that sitteth in the heavens shall 

laugh : 
The Lord shall have them in derision. 
Then shall he speak unto them in 

his wrath. 
And vex them in his sore displeasure. 
Yet have I set my King 
Upon my holy hill of Zion. 



I will declare the decree : 

The Lord hath said unto me, 

Thou art my Son ; . 

This day have I begotten thee. 

Ask of me, and! I shall give thee the 

heathen for thine inheritance. 
And the uttermost parts of the earth 

for thy possession. 
Thou shalt break them with a rod of 

iron ; 
Thou shalt dash them in pieces like 

a potter's vessel. 
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: 
Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 
Serve the Lord with fear, 
And rejoice with trembling. 
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, 
And ye perish from the way, 
When his wrath is kindled but a 

little. 
Blessed are all they that put their 

trust in him. 

God Magnified by his Works. 

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy 

name in all the earth ! 
Who hast set thy glory above the 

heavens. 
Out of the mouth of babes and 

sucklings 
Hast thou ordained strength because 

of thine enemies. 
That thou mightest still the enemy 

and the avenger. 
When I consider thy heavens, 
The work of thy fingers ; 
The moon and the stars, 
Which thou hast ordained ; 
What is man, that thou art mindful 

of him ? 
And the son of man, that thou visit- 

est him? 
For thou hast made him a little 

lower than the angels. 
And hast crowned him with glory 

and honor. 



I 



POETICAL. 



335 



Thou madest him to have dominion 

over the works of thy hands ; 
Thou hast put all things under his 

feet : ' 
All sheep and oxen, 
Yea, and the beasts of the field ; 
The fowl of the air, and the fish of 

the sea. 
And whatsoever passeth through the 

paths of the seas. 
O Lord our Lord, how excellent is 

thy name in all the earth ! 

The Citizen of Zion. 

Lord, who shall abide in thy ta- 
bernacle ? 

Who shall dwell in thy holy hill ? 

He that walketh uprightly, and 
worketh righteousness, 

And speaketh the truth in his heart. 

He that backbite th not with his 
tongue. 

Nor doeth evil to his neighbor. 

Nor taketh up a reproach against his 
neighbor. 

1\\ whose eyes a vile person is con- 
temned ; 

But he honoreth them that fear the 
Lord. 

He that sweareth to his own hurt, 
and changeth not. 

Ho that putteth not out his money 
to usury, 

Nor taketh reward against the inno- 
cent. 

He that doeth these things shall never 
Jbe moved. 

God's Glory in Creation. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; 

And the firmament sheweth his handy 
work. ^ 

Day unto day uttereth speech, 

And night unto night sheweth know- 
ledge 

There is no speech nor language ; 

Where thtsir voice is not heard. 

Their line is gone out through all the 
earth. 



And their words to the end of the 

world. 
In them hath he set a tabernacle for 

the sun. 
Which is as a bridegroom coming out 

of his chamber. 
And rejoiceth as a strong man to run 

a race. 
His going forth is from the end of the 

heaven, 
And his circuit unto the ends of it : 
And -there is nothing hid from the 

heat thereof. 
The law of the Lord is perfect, 
Converting the soul : 
The testimony of the Lord is sure. 
Making wise the simple. 
The statutes of the Lord are right, 
Rejoicing the heart : 
The commandment of the Lord is 

pure. 

Enlightening the eyes. 
The fear of the Lord is clean. 
Enduring for ever : 
The judgments of the Lord are 

true 
And righteous altogether. 
More to be desired are they than gold, 

yea, than much fine gold : 
Sweeter also than honey and the 

honey-comb. 
Moreover, by them is thy servant 

warned : 
And in keeping of them there is 

great reward. 
Who can understand his errors ? 
Cleanse thou me from secret faults. 
Keep back thy servant also from 

presumptuous sins ; 
Let them not have dominion over 

me : 
Then shall I be upright. 
And I shall be innocent from the 

great transgression. 
Let the words of my mouth, and the 

meditation of my heart, 
Be acceptable in thy sight, 
O Lord, my strength, and my re- 
deemer. 



336 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Confidence in God. 

The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall 

not want. 
He maketh me to lie down in green 

pastures: 
He leadeth me beside the still waters. 
He restoreth my soul : 
He leadeth me in the paths of righte- 
ousness for his name's sake. 
Yea, though I walk through the 

valley of the shadow of death, 
I will fear no evil : for thou art with 

me ; 
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort 

me. 
Thou preparest a table before mo 
In the presence of mine enemies : 
Thou anointest my head with oil ; 
My cup runneth over. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall 

follow me 
All the days of my life : 
And I will dwell in the house of the 

Lord 
For ever. 

God's Sovereignty. 

The earth is the Lord's, and the 

fullness thereof ; 
The world, and they that dwell 

therein. 
For he hath founded it upon the seas. 
And established it upon the floods. 
Who shall ascend into the hill of the 

Lord ? 
And who shall stand in his holy 

place ? 
He that hath clean hands, and a pure 

heart ; 
Who hath not lifted np his soul mito 

vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 
He shall receive the blessing from the 

Lord, 
And righteousness from the God of 

his salvation. 
This is the generation of them that 

seek him. 
That seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. 



Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; 
And be ye lift up, ye everlasting 

doors : 
And the King of glory shall come in. 
Who is this King of glory ? 
The Lord strong and mighty, 
The Lord mighty in battle. 
Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; 
Even lift them up, ye everlasting 

doors ; 
And the King of glory shall come in. 
Who is this King of glory ? 
The Lord of hosts, he is the King of 

glory. Selah. 

Joyful Confidence in God. 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; 

Whom shall I fear ? 

The Lord is the strength of my life ; 

Of whom shall I be afraid ? 

When the wicked, even mine enemies 

and my foesj 
Came upon me to eat up my flesh, 

they stumbled and fell. 
Though a host should encamp against 

me, 
My heart shall not fear : 
Though war should rise against me. 
In this will I be confident. 
One thing have I desired of the Lord, 
That will I seek after ; 
That I may dwell in the house of the 

Lord 
All the days of my life, 
To behold the beauty of the Lord, 
And to inquire in his temple. 
For in the time of trouble he shall 

hide me in his pavilion : 
In the secret of his tabernacle shall 

he hide me ; 
He shall set me up upon a rock. 
And now shall my head be lifted up 
Above mine enemies round about me : 
Therefore will I offer in his taberna- 
cle sacrifices of joy ; 
I will sing, yea, I will sing praises 

unto the Lord. 
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my 

voice : 



POETICAL. 



337 



Have mercy also upon me, and an- 
swer me. 
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face ; 
My heart said unto thee, 
Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 
Hide not thy face far from me ; 
Put not thy servant away in anger : 
Thou hast been my help ; leave me not. 
Neither forsake me, O God of my 

salvation. 
When my father and my mother 

forsake me, 
Then the Lord will take me up. 
Teach me thy way, O Lord, 
And lead me in a plam path, because 

of mine enemies. 
Deliver me not over unto the will of 

mine enemies: 
For false witnesses are risen up 

against me. 
And such as breathe out cruelty. 
I had fainted, unless I had believed to 

see the goodness of the Lord in 

the land of the living. 
Wait on the Lord : be of good courage. 
And he shall strengthen thy heart : 
Wait, I say, on the Lord. 

Praise for Divine Goodness. 

I will bless the Lord at all times : 
His praise shall continually be in my 

mouth. 
My soul shall make her boast in the 

Ivord : 
The humble shall hear thereof, and 

be glad. 

magnify the Lord with me, 
And let us exalt his name together. 

1 sought the Lord, and he heard me, 
And delivered me from all my fears. 
They looked unto him, and were 

lightened : 
And their faces were not ashamed. 
This poor man cried, and the Lord 

heard him. 
And saved him out of all his troubles. 
The angel of the Lord encampeth 
Round about them that fear him, and 

delivereth them. 



O taste and see that the Lord is 

good; 
Blessed is the man that trusteth in 

him. 

fear the Lord, ye his saints : 

For there is no want to them that 

fear him. 
The young lions do lack, and sufier 

hunger : 
But they that seek the Lord shall not 

want any good thing. 
Come, ye children, hearken unto me : 

1 will teach you the fear of the Lord. 
What man is he that desireth life. 
And loveth many days, that he may 

see good? 
Keep thy tongue from evil, 
And thy lips from speaking guile. 
Depart from evil, and do good ; 
Seek peace, and pursue it. 
The eyes of the Lord are upon the 

righteous. 
And his ears are open mito their 

cry. 
The face of the Lord is against them 

that do evil. 
To cut off the remembrance of them 

from the earth. 
The righteous cry, and the Lord 

heareth. 
And delivereth them out of all their 

troubles. 
The Lord is nigh unto them that are 

of a broken heart ; 
And eaveth such as be of a contrite 

spirit. 
Many are the afflictions of the righte- 
ous : 
But the Lord delivereth him out of 

them all. 
He keepeth all his bones : 
Not one of them is broken. 
Evil shall slay the wicked : 
And they that hate the righteous 

shall be desolate. 
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his 

servants : 
And none of them that trust in him 

shall be desolate. 



338 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Zeal to serve God. 

As the hart panteth after the water 

brooks, 
So panteth my soul after thee, O 

God. 
My soul thirsteth for God, for the 

livhig God : 
When shall I come and appear before 

God? 
My tears have been my meat, day 

and night. 
While they continually say unto me, 

Where is thy God? 
When I remember these things, I 

pour out my soul in me : 
For I had gone with the multitude, 
I went with them to the house of 

God, 
With the voice of joy and praise, 
With a multitude that kept holy-day. 
Why art thou cast down, O my soull 
And why art thou disquieted in me "i 
Hope thou in God for I shall yet 

praise him 
For the help of his countenance. 

my God, my soul is cast down 

within me : 
Therefore will I remember thee from 

the land of Jordan, 
And of the Hermonites, from the hill 

Mizar. 
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise 

of thy water-spouts : 
All thy waves and thy billows are 

gone over me. 
Yet the Lord will command his lov 

mg-kindness in the day-time, 
And in the night his song shall be 

with me. 
And my prayer unto the God of my life 

1 will say unto God my rock. 

Why hast thou forgotten me? why 
go I mourning because of the 
oppression of the enemy ? 

As with a sword in my bones, mine 
enemies reproach me ; 

While they say daily unto me. Where 
is thy God? 



Why art thou cast down, O my 

soul ? 

And why art thou disquieted within me? 
Hope thou in God: for I shall yet 

praise him. 
Who is the health of my countenance, 

and my God. 

God a Refuge in Trouble. 

Judge me, O God, and plead my 

cause against an ungodly nation : 
O deliver me from the deceitful and 

unjust man. 
For thou art the God of my strength : 
Why dost thou cast me off"? 
Why go I mourning because of the 

oppression of the enemy ? 
O send out thy light and thy truth : 
Let them lead me : 
Let them bring me unto thy holy 

hill, and to thy tabernacles. 
Then will I go unto the altar of God, 
Unto God my exceeding joy : 
Yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, 

O God my God. 
Why art thou cast down, O my 

soul? 
And why art thou disquieted within 

me? 
Hope in God : for I shall yet praise 

him, 
Who is the health of my countenance, 

and my God. 

Confidence in God Encouraged. 

God is our refuge and strength, 
A very present help in trouble. 
Therefore will not we fear, though 

the earth be removed^ 
And though the mountains be carried 

into the midst of the sea ; 
Though the waters thereof roar and 

be troubled. 
Though the mountains shake with 

the swelling thereof. 
There is a river, the streams whereof 

shall make glad the city of God, 
Tho holy place of the tabernacles of 

the Most High. 



POETICAL. 



339 



God is in the midst of her; she shall 

not be moved : 
God shall help her, and that right 

early. 
The heathen raged, the kingdoms 

were moved : 
He uttered his voice, the earth melted. 
The Lord of hosts is with us ; 
The God of Jacob is our refuge. 

Selah. 
Come, behold the works of the Lord, 
What desolatioiis he hath made in the 

earth. 
He maketh wars to cease unto the 

end of the earth ; 
He breaketh the bow, and cutteth 

the spear in sunder ; 
He burneth the chariot in the fire. 
Be still, and know that I am God : 
I will be exalted among the heathen, 
I will be exalted in the earth. 
The Lord of hosts is with us, 
The God of Jacob is our refuge. 

Selah. 

Expostulation. 

The mighty God, eveu the Lord, 

hath spoken. 
And called the earth from the rising 

of the sun unto the going down 

thereof. 
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, 
God hath shined. 
Our God shall come, and shall not 

keep silence : 
A fire shall devour before him, and it 

shall be very tempestuous round 

about him. 
He shall call to the heavens from 

above. 
And to the earth that he may judge 

his people. 
Gather my saints together unto me ; 
Those that have made a covenant 

with me by sacrifice. 
And the heavens shall declare his 

righteousness : 
For God is judge himself. 
Hear, O my people, and I will speak; 



Israel, and I will testify against thee: 

1 am God, even thy God. 

I will not reprove thee for thy 
sacrifices, 

Or thy burnt-ofFerings, to have been 
continually before me. 

I will take no bullock out of thy 
house. 

Nor he-goats out of thy folds. 

For every beast of the forest is mine, 

And the cattle upon a thousand hills. 

I know all the fowls of the moun- 
tains : 

And the wild beasts of the field are 
mine. 

If I were hungry, I would not tell 
thee : 

For the world is mine, and the full- 
ness thereof. 

WUl I eat the flesh of bulls, 

Or drink the blood of goats ? 

Offer unto God thanksgiving ; 

And pay thy vows mito the Most 
High: 

And call upon me in the day of 
trouble : 

I will deliver thee, and thou shall 
glorify me. 

But unto the wicked God saith, 

What hast thou to do to declare my 
statutes, 

Or that thou shouldest take my 
covenant in thy mouth ? 

Seeing thou hatest instruction, 

And castest my words behhid thee. 

When thou sawest a thief, then thou 
consentedst with him, 

And hast been partaker with adul- 
terers. 

Thou givest thy mouth to evil. 

And thy tongue frameth deceit. 

Thou sittest and speakest against thy 
brother ; 

Thou slanderest thine own mother's 
son. 

These things hast thou done, and I 
kept silence ; 

Thou thoughtest that I was altogether 
such an one as thyself : 



340 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



But I will reprove thee, and set them 

m order before thine eyes. 
Now consider this, ye that forget God, 
Lest I tear you in pieces, and there 

be none to deliver. 
Whoso ofFereth praise glorifieth me : 
And to him that ordereth his con 

versation aright will I show the 

salvation of God. 

Humble Confession. 

Have mercy upon me, O God, 
according to thy loving-kindiiess : 

According unto the multitude of thy 
tender mercies blot out my trans- 



Wash me thoroughly from mine 

iniquity, 
And cleanse me from my sin. 
For I acknowledge my transgressions : 
And my sin is ever before me. 
Against thee, thee only, have I 

sinned, 
And done this evil in thy sight : 
That thou mightest be justified when 

thou speakest. 
And be clear when thou judgcst. 
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity ; 
And in sin did my mother conceive 

me. 
Behold, thou desirest truth in the 

inward parts : 
And in the hidden part thou shalt 

make me to know wisdom. 
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be 

clean : 
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than 

snow. 
Make me to hear joy and gladness ; 
That the bones which thou hast 

broken may rejoice. 
Hide thy face from my sins, 
And blot out all mine iniquities. 
Create in me a clean heart, O God, 
And renew a right spirit within me. 
Cast me not away from thy pre- 
sence ; 
And take not thy holy Spirit from 

rae. 



Restore unto me the joy of thy salva- 
tion ; 
And uphold me with thy free Spirit. 
Then will I teach transgressors thy 

ways ; 
And sinners shall be converted unto 

thee. 
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, 

O God, thou God of my salva- 
tion: 
And my tongue shall sing aloud of 

thy righteousness. 
O Lord, open thou my lips ; 
And my mouth shall show forth thy 

praise. 
For thou desirest not sacrifice ; else 

would I give it : 
Thou delightest not in burnt-ofTering. 
The sacrifices of God are a broken 

spirit ; 
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, 

thou wilt not despise. 
Do good in thy good pleasure unto 

Zion : 
Build thou the walls of Jerusalem. 
Then shalt thou be pleased. with the 

sacrifices of righteousness. 
With burnt-offering, and whole burnt- 

ofFeriug : 
Then shall they ofTer bullocks upon 

thine altar. 

Godf a Refuge. 

Truly my soul waiteth upon God : 

From him cometh my salvation. 

He only is my rock and my salva- 
tion ; 

He is my defence ; I shall not be 
greatly moved. 

How long will ye inaagine mischief 
against a man? 

Ye shall be slain all of you : 

As a bowing wall shall ye be, and as 
a tottering fence. 

They only consult to cast him down 
from his excellency ; 

They delight in lies : 

They bless with their mouth, but they 
curse inwardly. Selah. 



POETICAL. 



341 



My soul, wait thou only upon God ; 
For my expectation is from him. 
He only is my rock and my salvation 
He is my defence ; I shall not be 

moved. 

In God is my salvation and my glory : 
The rock of my strength, and my 

refuge is in God. 
Trust in him at all times ; 
Ye people, pour out your heart before 

him : 
God is a refuge for us. Selah. 
Surely men of low degree are vanity. 
And men of high degree are a lie : 
To be laid in the balance, 
They are altogether lighter than 

vanity. 
Trust not in oppression, and become 

not vain in robbery : 
If riches increase, set not your heart 

upon them. 
God hath spoken once ; 
Twice have I heard this ; 
That power belongeth unto God. 
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth 

mercy : 
For thou renderest to every man 

according to his work. 

God's Goodness. 

Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in 
Zion : 

And unto thee shall the vow be per- 
formed. 

O thou that hearest prayer. 

Unto thee shall all flesh come. 

Iniquities prevail against me : 

As for our transgressions, thou shalt 
purge them away. 

Blessed is the man whom thou 
clioosest, 

And causest to approach unto thee, 
that he may dwell in thy courts 

We shall be satisfied with the good- 
ness of thy house, even of thy 
holy temple. 

By terrible things in righteousness 
wilt thou, answer us, O God of 
our salvation ; 



Who art the confidence of all the 

ends of the earth, 
And of them that are afar off upon 

the sea : 
Which by his strength setteth fast the 

mountains ; 
Being girded with power: 
Which stilleth the noise of the seas, 
The noise of their waves, and the 

tumult of the people. 
They also that dwell in the uttermost 

parts are afraid at thy tokens : 
Thou makest the outgoings of the 

morning and evening to rejoice. 
Thou visitest the earth, and waterestit: 
Thou greatly enrichest it with the 

river of God, which is full of 

water : 
Thou preparest them corn, when 

thou hast so provided for it. 
Thou waterest the ridges thereof 

abundantly ; 
Thou settlest the furrows thereof ; 
Thou makest it soft with showers : 
Thou blessest the springing thereof. 
Thou crownest the year with thy 



And thy paths drop fatness. 

They drop upon the pastures of the 

wilderness ; 
And the little hills rejoice on every 

side. 

The pastm'es are clothed with flocks ; 
The valleys also are covered over 

with corn ; 
They shout for joy, they also smg. 

Reign of Righteousness. 

He shall judge the poor of the people, 

He shall save the children of the 
needy, 

And shall break in pieces the oppres- 
sor. 

They shall fear thee as long as the 
sun and moon endure. 

Throughout all generations. 

He shall come down like rain upon 
the mown grass : 

As showers that water the earth. 



342 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



In his days shall the righteous flour- 
ish ; 
And abundance of peace so long as 

the moon endureth. 
He shall have dominion also from sea 

to sea, 
And from the river unto the ends of 

the earth. 
They that dwell in the wilderness 

shall bow before him ; 
And his enemies shall lick the dust. 
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles 

shall bring presents : 
The kings of Sheba and Seba shall 

offer gifts. 
Yea, all kings shall fall down before 

him: 
All nations shall serve him. 
For he shall deliver the needy when 

he crieth ; 
The poor also, and him that hath no 

helper. 
He shall redeem their soul from de- 
ceit and violence : 
And precious shall their blood be in 

his sight. 
His name shall endure for ever : 
His name shall be continued as long 

as the sun : 
And men shall be blessed in him : 
All nations shall call hun blessed. 

Envy of the Wicked, foolish. 
Truly God is good to Israel, 
Even to such as are of a clean heart 
But as for me, my feet were almost 

gone ; 
My steps had well-nigh slipped. 
For I was envious at the foolish, 
When I saw the prosperity of the 

wicked. 
For there are no bands in their death : 
But their strength is firm. 
They are not in trouble as other men 
Neither are they plagued like other 

men. 
Therefore pride compasseth them 

about as a chain ; 
Violence covereth them as a garment, 



Their eyes stand out with fatness : 

They have more than heart could 
wish. 

They are corrupt, and speak wickedly 

Concerning oppression : they speak 
loftily. 

They set their mouth against the hea- 
vens, 

And their tongue walketh through the 
earth. 

Therefore his people return hither : 

And waters of a full cup are wrung 
out to them. 

And they say. How doth God know? 

And is there knowledge in the Most 
High? 

Behold, these are the ungodly, who 
prosper in the world : 

They increase in riches. 

Verily I have cleansed my heart m 
vain. 

And washed my hands in innocency. 

For all the day long have I been 
plagued. 

And chastened every morning. 

If I say, I will speak thus : 

Behold I should offend against the 
generation of thy children. 

When I thought to know this. 

It was too painful for me. 

Until I went into the sanctuary of 
God; 

Then understood I their end. 

Surely thou didst set them in slippery 
places : 

Thou castedst them down into de- 
struction. 

How are they brought into desolation, 
as in a moment ! 

They are utterly consumed with ter- 
rors. 

As a dream when one awaketh ; 

So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou 
shalt despise their image. 

Divine Protection Invoked. 
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, 
Thou that leadest Joseph like a 

flock : 



POETICAL. 



343 



Thou that dwellest between the cheru- 

bims, shine forth. 
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and 

Manasseh 
Stir up thy strength, and come and 

save us. 
Turn us again, O God, 
And cause thy face to shine 
And we shall be saved. 
O Lord God of hosts, 
How long wilt thou be angry against 

the prayer of thy people ? 
Thou feedest them with the bread of 

tears ; 
And givest them tears to drink in great 

measure. 
Thou makest- us a strife unto our 

neighbors : 
And our enemies laugh among them- 
selves. 
Turn us again, O God of hosts. 
And cause thy face to shine ; 
And we shall be saved. 
Thou hast brought a vine out of 

Egypt : 
Thou hast cast out the heathen, and 

planted it. 
Thou preparedst room before it, 
And didst cause it to take deep root. 
And it filled the land. 
The hills were covered with the sha- 
dow of it. 
And the boughs thereof were like the 

goodly cedars. 
Return, we beseech thee, O God of 

hosts : 
Look down from heaven, and behold, 

and visit this vino ; 
And the vineyard which thy right 

hand hath planted. 
And the branch that thou madest 

strong for thyself. 
It is burnt with fire, it is cut down : 
They perish at the rebuke of thy 

countenance. 
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy 

right hand. 
Upon the son of man whom thou 

madest strong for thyself. 



So will not we go back from thee : 
Quicken us, and we will call upon thy 

name. 
Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, 
Cause thy face to shine ; 
And we shall be saved. 

Attraction of Public Worship. 
How amiable are thy tabernacles, 
O Lord of hosts ! 
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth 

for the courts of the Lord : 
My heart and my flesh crieth out for 

the living God. 
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, 
And the swallow a nest for herself, 
Where she may lay her young, 
Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, 
My King and my God. 
Blessed are they that dwell in thy 

house : 
They will be still praising thee. 
Blessed is the man whose strength is 

in thee ; 
In whose heart are the ways of them. 
Who passing through the valley of 

Baca make it a well : 
The rain also fiUeth the pools. 
They go from strength to strength. 
Every one of them in Zion appeareth 

before God. 

Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer : 
Give ear, O God of Jacob. 
Behold, O God our shield, 

And look upon the face of thine 

Anointed. 
For a day in thy courts is better than 

a thousand. 

1 had rather be a door-keeper in the 

house of my God, 

Than to dwell in the tents of wicked- 
ness. 

For the Lord God is a sun and shield : 

The Lord will give grace and glory ; 

No good things will he withhold from 
them that walk uprightly. 

O Lord of hosts. 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in 
thee. 



344 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Divine Goodness Acknowledged, j 
Lord, thou hast been favorable unto 

thy land : 
Thou hast brought back the captivity 

of Jacob. 
Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy 

people, 
Thou hast covered all their sin. 
Thou hast taken away all thy wrath : 
Thou hast turned thyself from the 

fierceness of thine anger. 
Turn us, O God of our salvation, 
And cause thine anger toward us to 

cease. 
Wilt thou be angry with us for ever ? 
Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all 

generations ? 
Wilt thou not revive us again ; 
That thy people may rejoice in thee ; 
Show us thy mercy, O Lord, 
And grant us thy salvation. 
I will hear what God the Lord will 



For he will speak peace unto his peo- 
ple, and to his saints : 

But let them not turn again to folly. 

Surely his salvation is nigh them that 
fear him ; 

That glory may dwell in our land. 

Mercy and truth are met together ; 

Righteousness and peace have kissed 
each other. 

Truth shall spring out of the earth ; 

And righteousness shall look down 
from heaven. 

Yea, the Lord shall give that which 
is good ; 

And our land shall yield her increase. 

Righteousness shall go before him ; 

And shall set us in the way of his 
steps. 

God^s Power, <^c. 

Lord, thou hast been our dwellmg- 
place in all generations. 

Before the mountains were brought 
forth, 

Or ever thou hadst formed the earth 
and the world. 



Even from everlasting to everlasting, 

thou art God. 
Thou turnest man to destruction ; 
And sayest, Return, ye children of 

men. 
For a thousand years in thy sight are 

but as yesterday when it is past, 
And as a watch in the night. 
Thou carriest them away as with a 

flood; 
They are as a sleep : 
In the morning they are like grass 

which groweth up. 
In the morning it flourisheth, and 

groweth up ; 
In the evening it is cut down, and 

withereth. 
For we are consumed by thine anger, 
And by thy wrath are we troubled. 
Thou hast set our iniquities before 

thee, 
Our secret sins in the light of thy 

countenance. 
For all our days are passed away in 

thy wrath : 
We spend our years as a tale that is 

told. 
The days of our years are threescore 

years and ten ; 
And if by reason of strength they be 

fourscore years. 
Yet is their strength labor and sorrow; 
For it is soon cut off, and we fly 

away. 
Who knoweth the power of thine 

anger ? 
Even according to thy fear, so is thy 

wrath. 
So teach us to number our days, 
That we may apply our hearts unto 

wisdom. 
Return, O Lord, how long ? 
And let it repent thee concerning thy 

servants. 
O satisfy us early with thy mercy ; 
That we may rejoice and be glad all 

our days. 
Make us glad according to the days 

wherein thou hast afflicted us. 



POETICAL. 



345 



And the years wherein we have seen 
evil. 

Let thy work appear unto thy ser- 
vants, 

And thy glory unto their children. 

And let the beauty of the Lord our 
God be upon us : 

And establish thou the work of our 
hands upon us ; 

Yea, the work of our hands establish 
thou it. 

Safety of the Righteous. 

He that dwelleth in the secret place 
of the Most High, 

Shall abide under the shadow of the 
Almighty. 

I will say of the Lord, He is my 
refuge and my fortress : 

My God ; in him will I trust. 

Surely he shall deliver thee from 
the snares of the fowler. 

And from the noisome pestilence. 

He shall cover thee with his feathers. 

And mider his wings shalt thou trust : 

His truth shall be thy shield and 
buckler. 

Thou shalt not be afraid for the ter- 
ror by night ; 

Nor for the arrow that flieth by day ; 

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in 
darkness : 

Nor for the destruction that wasteth 
at noon-day. 

A thousand shall fall at thy side. 

And ten thousand at thy right hand ; 

But it shall not come nigh thee. 

Only with thine eyes shalt thou be- 
hold 

And see the reward of the wicked. 

Because thou hast made the Lord 
which is my refuge, 

Even the Most High, thy habitation ; 

There shall no evil befall thee. 

Neither shall any plague come nigh 
thy dwelling. 

For he shall give his angels charge 
over thee, 

To keep thee in all thy ways. 



They shall bear thee up in their 

hands. 
Lest thou dash thy foot against a 

stone. 
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and 

adder : 
The young lion and the dragon shalt 

thou trample under feet. 
Because he hath set his love upon 

me, therefore will I deliver him : 
I will set him on high, because he 

hath known ray name. 
He shall call upon me, and I will 

answer him : 
I will be with him in trouble ; 
I will deliver him, and honor him. 
With long life will I satisfy him, 
And show him my salvation. 

Acclamation of Praise. 

O sing mito the Lord a new song ; 
For he hath done marvellous things : 
His right hand, and his holy arm, 
Hath gotten him the victory. 
The Lord hath made known his 

salvation : 
His righteousness hath he openly 

showed in the sight of the hea- 
then. 
He hath remembered his mercy and 

his truth toward the house of 

Israel : 
All the ends of the earth have seen 

the salvation of our God. 
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, 

all the earth ; 
Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and 

sing praise. 
Sing unto the Lord with the harp ; 
With the harp, and the voice of a 

psalm. 
With trumpets and sound of cornet, 
Make a joyful noise before the Lord, 

the King. 
Let the sea roar, and tho fullness 

thereof ; 
The world, and they that dwell 

therein. 
Let the floods clap their hands ; 



346 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



Let the hills be joyful together 

Before the Lord ; 

For he cometh to judge the earth : 

With righteousness shall he judge the 
world, 

And the people with equity. 

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, 

Who walk in the law of the Lord. 

Blessed are they that keep his tes- 
timonies, 

And that seek him with the whole 
heart. 

Wherewithal shall a young man 
cleanse his way ? 

By taking heed thereto according to 
thy word. 

With my whole Heart have I sought 
thee : 

let me not wander from thy com- 

mandments. 
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, 
And a light unto my path. 
Thy testimonies have I taken as an 

heritage for ever : 
For they are the rejoicing of my 

heart. 

1 have inclined mine heart to perform 

thy statutes always, 
Even unto the end. 

God's Faithfulness to Zion. 

My days are like a shadow that 

declineth ; 
And I am withered like grass. 
But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for 

ever ; 
And thy remembrance unto all 

generations. 
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy 

upon Zion : 
For the time to favor her, yea, the 

set time, is come. 
For thy servants take pleasure in her 

stones, 
And favor the dust thereof. 
So the heathen shall fear the name 

of the Lord, 
And all the kings of the earth thy 

glory. 



W^hen the Lord shall build up Zion, 

He shall appear in his glory. 

He will regard the prayer of the 
destitute. 

And not despise their prayer. 

This shall be written for the genera- 
tion to come : 

And the people which shall be crea- 
ted shall praise the Lord. 

FoT he hath looked down from the 
height of his sanctuary ; 

From heaven did the Lord behold the 
earth ; 

To hear the groaning of the prisoner; 

To loose those that are appointed to 
death ; 

To declare the name of the Lofdm Zion 

And his praise in Jerusalem ; 

Of old hast thou laid the foundation 
of the earth : 

And the heavens are the work of thy 
hands. 

They shall perish, but thou shalt 
endure : 

Yea, all of them shall wax old like a 
garment ; 

As a vesture shalt thou change them. 

And they shall be changed : 

But thou art the same, 

And thy years shall have no end. 

The children of thy servants shall 
continue. 

And their seed shall be established 
before thee. 

Invocation to jpraise God. 

Praise ye the Lord. 

Praise God in his sanctuary : 

Praise him in the firmament of his 

power. 
Praise him for his mighty acts: 
Praise him according to his exceirent 

greatness. 
Praise him with the sound of the 

trumpet : 
Praise him with the psaltery and 

harp. 
Praise him with the timbrel and 

dance : 



POETICAL. 



347 



Praise him with stringed instruments 

and organs. 
Praise him upon the loud cymbals : 
Praise him upon the high-sounding 

cymbals. 
Let every thing that hath breath 

praise the Lord. 
Praise ye the Lord. 

Exhortation to bless God. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul : 

And all that is within me, bless his 
holy name. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

And forget not all his benefits : 

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ; 

Who healeth all thy diseases ; 

Who redeemeth thy life from destruc- 
tion ; 

Who crowneth thee with loving-kind- 
ness- and tender mercies ; 

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good 
things ; 

So that thy youth is renewed like the 
eagle's. 

The Lord executeth righteousness 

And judgment for all that are op- 
pressed. 

He made known his ways unto Mo 
ses, 

His acts unto the children of Israel. 

The Lord is merciful and gracious, 

Slow to anger, and plenteous in mer- 
cy- 
He will not always chide ; 

Neither will he keep his anger for 
ever. 

He hath not dealt with us after our 



Nor rewarded us according to our 
iniquities. 

For as the heaven is high above the 
earth, 

So great is his mercy toward them 
that fear him. 

As far as the east is from the west, 

So far hath he removed our trans- 
gressions from us. 

Like as a father pitieth his children 



So the Lord pitieth them that fear him. 

For ho knoweth our frame ; 

He remembereth that we are dust. 

As for man, his days are as grass : 

As a flower of the field, so he flour- 
ish eth. 

For the wind passeth over it, and it is 
gone ; 

And the place thereof shall know it 
no more. 

But the mercy of the Lord is from 
everlasting to everlasting upon 
them that fear him. 

And his righteousness unto children's 
children ; 

To such as keep his covenant. 

And to those that remember his com- 
mandments to do them. 

The Lord hath prepared his throne in 
the heavens ; 

And his kingdom ruleth over all. 

Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that ex- 
cel in strength. 

That do his commandments, heark- 
ening mito the voice of his word. 

Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts ; 

Ye ministers of his, that do his pleas- 
ure. 

Bless the Lord, all his works, in all 
places of his dominion : 

Bless the Lord, O my soul. 

Trust in God. 

They that trust in the Lord shall be 
as mount Zion, 

Which cannot be removed, but abid- 
eth for ever. 

As the mountains are round about Je- 
rusalem, 

So the Lord is round about his people 
•from henceforth, even for ever. 

For the rod of the wicked shall not 
rest upon the lot of the righteous ; 

Lest the righteous put forth their 
hands unto iniquity. 

Do good, O Lord, unto those that be 



And to them that are upright in their 
hearts. 



348 



SCRIPTURE SCHOOL READER. 



As for such as turn aside unto their 

crooked ways, 
The Lord shall lead them forth with 

the workers of iniquity : 
But peace shall be upon Israel. 

Union of Brethren. 

Behold, how good and how pleasant 

it is 
For brethren to dwell together in 

unity ! 
It is like the precious ointment upon 

the head, 
That ran down upon the beard, 
Even Aaron's beard : 
That went down to the gkirts of his 

garments : 
As the dew of Hermon, 
And as the dew that descended upon 

the mountains of Zion : 
For there the Lord commanded the 

blessing, even life for evermore. 

God's Power and Goodness extolled. 

I will extol thee, my God, O King ; 
And I will bless thy name for ever 

and ever. 
Every day will I bless thee ; 
And I will praise thy name for ever 

and ever. 
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be 

praised ; 
And his greatness is unsearchable. 
One generation shall praise thy works 

to another, 
And shall declare thy mighty acts. 
I will speak of the glorious honor of 

thy majesty, 
And of thy wondrous works. 
And men shall speak of the might 

of thy terrible acts : 
And I will declare thy greatness. 
They shall abundantly utter the 

memory of thy great goodness, 
And shall sing of thy righteousness. 



The Lord is gracious, and full of 

compassion ; 
Slow to anger, and of great mercy. 
The Lord is good to all : 
And his tender mercies are over all 

his works. 
All thy works shall praise thee, O 

Lord ; 
And thy saints shall bless thee. 
They shall speak of the glory of thy 

kingdom, 
And talk of thy power ; 
To make known to the sons of men 

his mighty acts, 
And the glorious majesty of his 

kingdom. 

Thy kingdom is an everlasting king- 
dom. 
And thy dominion endureth through- 
out all generations. 
The Lord upholdeth all that fall, 
And raiseth up all those that be 

bowed down. 
The eyes of all wait upon thee : 
And thou givest them their meat in 

due season. 
Thou openest thine hand. 
And satisfiest the desire of every 

living thing. 
The Lord is righteous in all his ways. 
And holy in all his works. 
The Lord is nigh unto all them that 

call upon him. 
To all that call upon him in truth. 
He will fulfil the desire of them that 

fear him : 
He also will hear their cry, and will 

save them. 
The Lord preserveth all them that 

love him : 
But all the wicked will he destroy. 
My mouth shall speak the praise of 

the Lord: 
And let all flesh bless his holy name 

for ever and ever. 



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